I so love it when by pure chance I open a link somewhere amidst the myriad of communication I'm exposed to and see a few words of inspiration that gets me in the groove to write.
PERFECTION EXCELLENCE
This week, it was a piece I read on perfection and excellence. So I started at the base level with my best friend 'google' to trace both words get the distinction.
- Perfection... a flawless state where everything is exactly right or the action of making something perfect.
- Excellence... greatness, the very best. Something in which someone excels.
Perfection
More often what comes for me is this - people and things, referred to as being perfect - the model boy or girlfriend, supermodels, celebrities, cars and houses, the weather or the dream job. Perfection in it's glory, still never enough, elusive, with the outcome potentially never reached and to top it off, we then feel bad about it.
“Is perfection then a perception of what appears to be perfect?”
Excellence
It's the pursuit of by an individual or group. When we seek excellence we're doing the best we can, high on preparation, then the practice through to the delivery of something. Excellence is not without it's uniqueness...it's not perfect with a sense of accomplishment.
Moving Past Perfect
Thomas Greenspon author of Moving Past Perfect makes reference to the following quote...
Excellence is risk. Perfection is fear
Excellence is effort. Perfection is anger & frustration.
Excellence is openness to being wrong.
Perfection is having to be right.Excellence is spontaneity. Perfection is control.
Excellence is flow. Perfection is pressure.
Excellence is confidence. Perfection is doubt.
Excellence is a journey. Perfection is a destination.
Excellence is acceptance. Perfection is judgement.
Excellence is encouraging. Perfection is criticising.
Letting Go
At the outset of this year, I committed to write weekly and so I have. I can say I've moved forward on what felt initially like me climbing a mountain in winter, to a walk on the undulating hills in spring.
And why was that?
Well a part of it was realising that I thought what I did had to be perfect and that was never going to be... ever!
From the first journal I published I realise how far I've come - from the apprehension to press publish the first time, writing regardless of who cares to read, to get in the flow, to allow the inspiration to rise to the surface.
“I say to hell with the pursuit of perfection and instead draw inspiration to have a go and to strive for excellence in what I do.”
If you find yourself looking for that something to kick start your new year to be the best ever, then get take action - the timing is as perfect as it's ever going to be.
