Some equate who they are with the quality of their work.  Even little kids starting to draw begin to evaluate their drawings with unrealistic expectations.  “It doesn’t look like a face...” and tears begin to flow for any 4 year old who becomes overwhelmed with the stressful chore to be perfect. We all have a 4 year old inside of us.  

One thread we humans have in common is the difficulty with tolerating not being competent in every minute of our lives.  And for some, give up quickly, never recognizing life is a practice.  We humans are influenced by values in the world – some think there is one right way of doing a task, and too often these tasks are evaluated, judged, compared to other works, all done through unrealistic thinking. 

It’s no wonder we have some sort of relentless self-evaluation running through our thirsty souls, searching for the next brilliant solution and perfect ideas.  And even when we humans get the feedback we long desired, we might think others are not honest, or feel we are not good enough.  We continue to focus on what is wrong, rather than what’s going right.  

​Perfectionism … it’s the most debility part of the creative process.  Where does it come from and why does it show up when creating?  

Actually it shows up even when you’re living your every day life.  We tend to call it something different like “I learned if you want do to something …you do it right the first time.”  And while that makes perfectly good sense from a survival position, to not to waste your energy on repeating tasks until you get it perfect ... you might not get anything done.

We disguise it as education.  In this process are some repeated behaviors socially conditioned to be necessary.  We blindly accept rote processes of learning grammar, mathematics, or any sport.  So why isn’t it accepted to be the same for creativity?  Well, there lies part of the problem.  There are myths, preconceived ideas passed along about creativity such as “you have to have the genes to be creative,” “there are creative geniuses, and you’re not one of them,” or “only a few have the talent, and I don’t, so why bother trying.” 

Once you have been infected with limited creative thoughts, any attempt to be creative which does not give you the positive feedback you may need, turns quickly to avoidance or resistance. New beliefs form around creative attempts, justifying the originating memes of “only a few can be creative.”   And further block any attempt to try something new as “you have to be an expert in this other wise you’re inept.”  Survival takes over and rigidity controls any process of new discovery.  

One small way to move past perfectionism is by paying attention to your thinking.  Notice if you are judging too harshly.  Give yourself permission to lower your expectations for the outcome of any creative adventure.  Open to the practice of understanding the creative process.  Embrace your mistakes.