Not Everything You Do Has to Be Perfect

Often, it’s better—and more fun—if it isn’t

Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash

I’ve had this quote sitting in my drafts folder for almost two years.

It’s about perfectionism.

And for some reason, tonight it called out to me. I remembered it was there, and I went back and found it after all this time.

It goes like this:

“Perfectionism is based on an obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you’ll die anyway & a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do better than you & have fun.”
— Anne Lamott on Twitter

These words hit me like a ton of bricks when I first read them, and as I reread them now, the effect is still the same.

Anne Lamott is not one to sugarcoat things. But her insights? They’re razor-sharp.

I think what she’s saying is: Just allow yourself to live! Be okay with making mistakes, because you’re bound to make them. Be okay with not being perfect at every single thing you do…