“Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it's often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.”
― The Gifts of Imperfection
― The Gifts of Imperfection
“Perfectionism doesn't believe in practice shots. It doesn't believe in improvement. Perfectionism has never heard that anything worth doing is worth doing badly--and that if we allow ourselves to do something badly we might in time become quite good at it. Perfectionism measures our beginner's work against the finished work of masters. Perfectionism thrives on comparison and competition. It doesn't know how to say, "Good try," or "Job well done." The critic does not believe in creative glee--or any glee at all, for that matter. No, perfectionism is a serious matter.”
― Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance
― Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance
“But I am learning that perfection isn't what matters. In fact, it's the very thing that can destroy you if you let it.”
― Something Borrowed
― Something Borrowed
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.”
― Bird by Bird
― Bird by Bird
“Good enough is good enough. Perfect will make you a big fat mess every time.”
― The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder
― The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder
Lily’s 2024 Year in Books
Take a look at Lily’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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