The tendency toward perfection can be both positive and negative at times. Mostly, it can paralyze talented people from fulfilling their purpose and potential. Petra Kolber has lived it, and now she helps others with unleashing their potential by removing the barrier.
If you’re working to let perfectionism go, this book might be a good place to start.
The Perfection Detox: Tame Your Inner Critic, Live Bravely, and Unleash Your Joy [affiliate link]
I mentioned this book in episode number 3 of my podcast. If you haven’t watched the episode yet, check out the post called Perfectionism, Paint, and Peace.
Listen to this quote from the book:
“If our idea of success is always about proving our worth and always being right, then we are in for a lot of headaches and heartbreak. When success is tied to the outcome it is a thin tightrope we walk filled with tension and stress. Instead, we should aim to stay buoyant during the times of struggle, see the ebbs and flows as part of the process of growth, proof that we are living, loving, and most importantly trying. We can still identify the parts of ourselves or skills that need to be strengthened, but we can view them instead as opportunities to learn and grow, and we can use the success of those around us as motivation to fill our own inspiration tank instead of feeling threatened by their wins.”
Viewing weaknesses as opportunities is so freeing! But what if we still can’t accept ourselves with our weakness? What if that feels like we are justifying what needs to be worked on? She addresses this too:
“Just like forgiveness does not mean condoning, acceptance does not always mean completely liking what you see. But it does allow us to objectively view the parts of ourselves that still may need strengthening and improving. Instead of punishing ourselves for the areas of our lives that are not perfect, we can use the lens of self-acceptance to see that our potential has not yet been met.”
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