Forget Perfection!
Perfection in our endeavors is our goal, right?
Not when it comes to creativity.
The very notion of perfection in a creative endeavor is contradictory. Perfection implies, by its very nature, that there is a “correct” or “right” endpoint for the final product. That it should look, feel, sound, smell or taste a specific way.
The point of creativity is not to produce a product that others will perceive as perfect or excellent. The point is to express yourself and your perceptions. To stretch your perceptions, of what you can do and of what the result will be.
Did you make a mistake? Most of us do - on a regular basis. Keep going. Some of the most remarkable results are born out of mistakes. Don’t give up on your project just because some step doesn’t look like you think it should. If you’ve already “ruined” your project, why not go a little crazy? Try a technique or tool that you’ve never tried before. Don’t know if it will work? So what? The project is already “ruined”, right?
Guess what? Chances are that your project isn’t ruined. There’s something you can learn from what did and didn’t work. You’ll never know what the end result is, what you might learn from it if you give up as soon as a mistake is made.
Striving for a preconceived perfection in a project almost guarantees that you won’t find it. It puts unnecessary stress on you as the creator. It shuts your senses to other, just as valid and beautiful, possibilities. In short, perfection, or at least the seeking of it, limits your creativity.
Take, for example, an author. If an author strives to get every word perfect as they put the first draft on the page, its unlikely they will ever finish it. If, on the other hand, they concentrate their work on getting the story down, the first draft becomes the foundation and inspiration for the edits and revisions that create the final piece. The work flows more easily and allows the author to express their concepts and ideas more freely and effectively.
Own your mistakes, learn from them and learn to work with them. Persevere, work through, around and with “mistakes” and see where they take you. The project won’t be technically “perfect”, but it will become a perfect representation of the creative spirit inside you. It may provide the inspiration for a new project, version, or perspective. It doesn’t matter if no one else ever experiences it - its your creativity expressing itself.
Tags: hobbies and creativity, crafts, Crafts, Hobbies and Creativity, Creative Cooking, Creative Writing, creative endeavor, creative spirit, Creativity and Art, perceptions perfection
[...] Perfection is overrated. - No one is perfect and even the most talented people spend most of their time creating less than perfect projects. One of the best things you can do for your creativity is something we’ve discussed before, Forget Perfection! [...]
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[...] Because we know that failure is simply a bridge to the next success and being a perfectionist dulls our creativity then it’s time to forget about it. Create your starting point, use your true voice, share your thoughts and ideas on your blog without losing your message. Don’t dilute it because you thought to much about who “might” read it - write for those you WANT to read it. [...]
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