Perfectionism isn’t easy to overcome, but by now you should be making some progress in your efforts. Remember that it takes time and dedication, but you’ll get there! Here are three new tips to help you on your journey.
1. Start Each Day Fresh
Every day is a brand-new day. Make a habit of acting as such. Don’t dwell on the mistakes you made yesterday, the things you didn’t get done, the bad (or even the good) things that happened. Every day is completely new. It’s a 24-hour gift just for you. Start each day as if it’s new and fresh and no other days have happened, and you’ll free yourself of much of the stress that comes from undone to-do lists and past mistakes.
When you wake up in the morning, before you even get out of bed, take some deep breaths, focus on the day ahead, and set the intention to start it anew. At the end of the day, as you lie in bed getting ready to sleep, take some more deep breaths and let everything that happened in the day fall away.
2. Focus on the Process, Not the Results
Remember that having goals is great and is good for everyone, but it’s not the most important facet of your existence. Nor is it the most important aspect of trying to reach the goal! The process is much more important than the end result. The learning and growth all occur while you’re striving to reach the goal, not when you actually reach it.
Redirect your mind to the process whenever you catch yourself hyper-fixated on the end result. Focus on the work you’re putting in and not the results you hope to achieve, and you’ll go further than you’ve ever imagined.
3. Reward Yourself
Who doesn’t like being rewarded? No one. Our brains love it. They’re structured to respond to rewards -the more immediate and the more desired, the better. How can you use this in your quest to overcome your perfectionism? Set rewards for yourself for doing (or not doing) specific behaviors. These should be specific rewards that you love, that you have easy access to, and that you can have immediately.
For example, you can decide that every time you remember not to impose impossible standards on your assistant, you’ll get to eat a piece of your favorite chocolate, which you’ll start keeping inside your desk for this purpose. It may sound weird, but it works!