EVEN PERFECTIONISTS MAKE MISTAKES...

This week I want to talk to you about how even perfectionists sometimes make mistakes and how you can never do something perfectly, so you should not worry if you do not do something perfectly if you know that you've tried your best.

Making mistakes is just part of being human and the way we learn and grow. If you are one of those people who strives for perfection in everything and always wonders why you somehow don't achieve it, this may be a realisation, as neither you nor anyone else is immune to making mistakes.

It's so easy to beat ourselves up when we make a mistake, especially if perfection is our goal. We somehow always tend to hold ourselves to impossibly high standards and when we fall short of our expectations, which is often inevitable, it can be so crushing if we haven't managed our expectations. 

Perfection is just an illusion. No one is perfect. Expecting yourself to be perfect is just setting yourself up for failure. It's so important to always remind ourselves that mistakes we make are not a true reflection of our worth. They are simply a part of the learning process we continually go through in life.

Here are some examples:

- A perfectionist student who aims for straight As on their exams, makes a very simple error on a test and then receives a much lower grade than expected as, despite studying diligently and putting in their best efforts, they still make a mistake.
- A perfectionist chef who prides themselves on always serving flawless dishes, accidentally adds too much salt to a soup that they are preparing, despite following a recipe closely and being conscious in their other cooking techniques.
- A perfectionist, creative person who spends a lot of time meticulously working on something, realises too late that they have made an error in what they have done earlier, despite their attention to detail and dedication.

But recognise that pressure we put on ourselves to strive for perfection, actually increases the chance of us making errors. Perfectionists also set such high standards that they become much more stressed. So, ironically, perfectionism is counterproductive in the long run and hinders performance. 

So, this week, if you make a mistake, remember that it's alright and use it as an opportunity to learn and improve in what you are doing. Embrace mistakes as learning opportunities to develop resilience and adaptability. Remember, even perfectionists make mistakes!