Let it Be
I’m finally learning to sort of roll with the punches – when it comes to completing projects and tackling new ones. I’m a recovering perfectionist (which is to say that I am actually a perfectionist since there is no real cure for the burden).
And, at my own advice – I have decided not to freak out at every little obstacle that blocks my way.
The greatest lesson I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is one that I almost just realized today– I need to breathe. I need to let go of the need to make everything perfect right away.
And, as I’ve allowed myself to make mistakes, take personal time for fun, and set reasonable business goals – I realize that I’ve become an overall happier person.
Happier people are just more fun to hang out with. And I want to be fun to hang out with.
But seriously, my old patterns of perfectionism have been hard to break. Too often my need to save the world in 6 hours would become seriously overwhelming – and the end result was poor work (maybe even unfinished work) and a really cranky tired me. Sometimes I would give up on a project right in the middle if I felt that I couldn’t make it just right.
I flunked my favorite class in the first semester of my junior year of college. I never told anyone this. The class was called Philosophy of Love. It was mostly about self love. We all had to do a final project defining our growth – using the medium of our choice. Plus we had to write a paper.
Okay, so I’m this big writer girl and I figure the paper won’t take so long. So I get really into the multimedia project. All I can say is that I dug the gutts out of an old television, wired stuff, used paint, music and voice and made this kick ass project that EVERYONE loved.
But I had no time for the paper. And the truth is I really didn’t write it because I didn’t think I could write something that defined my growth better then the multimedia project, I chickened out and opted for an F because I couldn’t get an A.
Pretty immature and unproductive.
Running a business doesn’t allow for such an attitude – but patterns don’t break themselves.
Life doesn’t always happen in perfect order and you cannot plan for everything. Time spent worrying about the outcome of a project can actually take work time away from that project. Plus, worrying puts pre-mature wrinkles in your browline.
If you want to take what you do now and grow it into a lasting career, you will need to know how to let go of some of the tension that surrounds your work.
One Comment
William
November 13th, 2006 at 9:40 am
Great article Gina and I really can appreciate your honesty and transparency. I have a similar problem, not as much centered around perfection, but I DEFINITELY try to take on and tackle too many projects at once.
Sometimes operating my ventures starts to get so out of control that my academics suffer and I hardly ever get to see my friends and family anymore. I think that’s a real problem, I’m only 24, so like you I need to breathe and relax and maybe stop trying to go after so much, so soon. Really Good job.
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