Reimagining Perfectionism: Strategies for Turbo Thinkers© to Embrace the Process
Many Turbo Thinkers© tend toward perfectionism. We often hear the command "Jump!" and respond with "How high?" We can be quick to prove ourselves and eager to please, much like a show dog on an agility course. All of this intense focus and drive for perfection can be both stimulating and nerve-wracking. We simultaneously experience both excitement and anxiety because in the recesses of our minds we believe that we are being scrutinized. We can imagine and assume what others think, and due to our tendency to dwell on negative thoughts, the narrative we construct rarely serves us well. When we recognize these feelings, we can employ various strategies to relieve ourselves of the worry, shame, and guilt that occupy too much space in the mind and hinder our ability to navigate our day with ease and joy.
What if we considered how essential thinking time is to the process? Whether it took monumental or minimal effort, our inner critic tells us that we cannot allow anyone else to witness what it took for us to complete a task. We cannot reveal the process when it involves hours of slow and painstaking labor, particularly when our method begins with hours of procrastination followed by a burst of creative insight and a flurry of activity. What if we were able to reframe our "procrastination" as thinking time? How frequently do we allow ourselves time to explore ideas as part of the creative process? We often emphasize productivity and output, yet overlook the importance of gathering the necessary ingredients and allowing them to simmer. Our strength lies in our ability to view things from different perspectives and connect the dots in unique ways. As divergent thinkers, we require time to explore and discover, to search for seemingly unrelated thoughts and weave them together in an original and distinctive manner.
What if we explored embracing experimentation as another valuable strategy? What if we viewed the "final" product as nothing more than a draft for the next opportunity? By adopting a growth mindset over a fixed one, we welcome challenges and embrace feedback, knowing that our brains possess the ability to adapt and grow. We welcome mistakes as opportunities for learning, with a sense of agency, rather than succumbing to a deterministic view of the world. The last of the executive function skills to develop in the brain is metacognition, which provides us with the ability to see the big picture. It allows us to reflect on our actions and discern what went well, what didn't go so well, and what steps we can take to improve, all with an open mind and an eagerness to learn and without judgment. This skill allows us to shift our focus from "What will they think of me?" to "What will I learn from this?" It enables us to view life as a journey toward wisdom, where we gather knowledge, skills, and experience, ideally with a sense of humor to ease the way. As Nelson Mandela once said, "I never lose. I either win or I learn." By viewing our lives as a journey, we can accept that perfection is an illusion.
What if we contemplated defining what is 'perfect enough for now' as another crucial step? Rather than giving up, we can ask ourselves, "What would be perfect enough for now?" How can we gain clarity on the objective and the desired outcome of the assigned task? When overwhelmed with anxiety, we can easily forget to answer a very basic question, "What's the point here?" How can we define the minimum criteria to achieve that? What might the minimum viable product look like? As Turbo Thinkers©, we have a tendency to complicate matters. When tempted to create the best thing ever with all the bells and whistles, how do we keep our top three basic requirements in mind? Once we meet the criteria, how can we give ourselves permission to let go and move on?
When the task at hand aligns with our purpose, Turbo Thinkers© care deeply and passionately about our performance. We can find ourselves in a state of flow, creating to the point of perfectionism, in order to share our brilliance with the world. The creative process becomes an act of giving from a place of love, resulting in a sense of meaning and fulfillment. However, when we notice that we are giving all of ourselves, not just our time and energy, but also our sanity and our serenity, we can get curious about our motivation. Are we perhaps afraid of being judged as incompetent, falling short, or failing? Do the choices we make come from a place of love or fear? By using strategies such as accepting that thinking time is critical to the process, embracing experimentation, and defining what is perfect enough for now, we can better support our well-being. We can enjoy more positive emotions, allowing us to perform better, develop stronger relationships, and have better self-regulation. In the end, maybe we can all learn to wag our tails a little more and chase joy instead of perfection.