Optimum Talks Blog

Nothing Grows in the State of Perfection

Nothing can grow in a state of perfection.  Perfection simply does not allow it. It is already perfect, complete.

Now, the problem with perfection is, in fact, its’ completeness.  Once perfected, it remains the same, never growing, never changing.  This concept pushes against the nature of life itself, whose drive seems to be to grow forever or cease to be.  And like life, organizations and the people within them move continually towards growth.

Working with clients as a career coach, I see firsthand how the desire for perfection constrains achievement, fulfillment, decisions and action.  If one can’t do it perfectly, there is a tendency to stop or never begin.

Leadership that demands perfection, too, constrains the growth of an organization. Risk-taking stops because everyone is afraid of making a mistake and the impending consequences.

So, what is the lesson? Stop striving for perfection, and stop looking for it.  For if you find it, you have found completion. And completion is a dead end.

If you or your organization embraces change and has “room for growth”, don’t see it as a negative; celebrate it, for there is space for things to happen!