- Progress not perfection means focusing on what you’ve already achieved and being proud of the work you’ve put toward a goal even if it’s not 100% perfect.
- Remind yourself that it’s okay if you make mistakes. Focus on all the hard work you’ve already done and celebrate those achievements.
- Break larger goals into small, attainable steps so you can track all of your accomplishments and see the progress that you’ve made.
What does “progress not perfection” mean?
Progress not perfection is about focusing on the work you've done rather than the end goal. It's about learning to appreciate the journey instead of just focusing on the result. If you have a “progress not perfection” mindset, you recognize all the work you’ve done to reach your goal even if you haven't done everything perfectly. Even more importantly, you’re proud of all the progress you’ve made and can celebrate the successes you’ve had along the way. You don't let mistakes or criticism derail you, and you can overcome challenges in order to succeed.
How to Strive for Progress Not Perfection
Start with smaller, more attainable goals. Do you have a lot of long-term or larger goals but aren’t sure where to start? Break it down into more manageable short-term goals that are easy to track. Keep your focus on those small goals and celebrate each time you achieve them. You’re putting in a lot of hard work as you build up to the end result that you’re striving for. Set SMART goals, which means they’re: Specific: What do you specifically want to do? If you’re a writer, maybe something like writing 1,000 words a day to finish a novel would work as your goal. If you want to get fit, working out 4 times a week is a smaller goal for reaching a target weight in the long-term. Measurable: How will you track your progress? That may be logging a daily word count, tracking workouts in an app, or completing a set of training courses at work. Achievable: Can you reach your goals with your current lifestyle? If you’re a busy person, setting smaller goals that fit into your downtime will work a lot easier than longer ones. Relevant: Does the goal align with your interests? Setting a word count is a great goal if you’re a writer or blogger, but maybe not if you’re an artist or programmer. Time-bound: How much time will you commit to your goal? You could do the same workout schedule for a few weeks or give yourself a writing deadline to hit.
Plan for potential issues before they happen. Run through a few of the potential situations that could come up as you’re working toward your goal. Take a quick moment to think about how you’d react if something went wrong, and mentally play out how it would go. Even though you can’t prepare for everything, running through a few of the worst-case scenarios will help you realize feel like you’ve got a handle on things if they don’t go exactly as planned. Example: If you know looking at your phone will distract you from working on a project, you may silence your notifications and let your friends know you’re busy for the next few hours. Ask yourself things like, “What is the next best step given what I know now?” and “How does this outcome affect the way I approach my goal?” If you’re starting to feel a little stressed that things won’t go perfectly to plan, repeat the mantra, “This will be good enough for what I need right now.” Things will be okay in the long run, so just keep working towards what you’re able to control.
Accept mistakes and let yourself be imperfect. Remind yourself it’s okay to make mistakes, and that it happens to everyone. You wouldn’t learn how to do something correctly without making a mistake, so any small slip-up is okay especially if it’s your first time trying it. Tell yourself that it’s okay to slip up and feel uncomfortable in the moment since it’ll help you learn even more than putting pressure on yourself to succeed. Example: If you’re performing in front of an audience for the first time, remind yourself it’s okay if you stumble over a few lines. You may not have acted before, but still feel proud of all the courage you had to get on stage.
Trust your intuition. Follow your gut instinct to avoid overthinking and mulling over a decision that stalls your goal. Don’t worry about if you’re making the “right” choice as long as you’re making a decision and moving forward with it. Even if it wasn’t the perfect choice for the long-term, you’re still making great progress in the moment. Example: If you’re stuck figuring out the next line of a screenplay, just write with the first thing that comes into your head instead of figuring out the perfect words. You can always come back later to change it, but don’t let it stop you from writing right now. Don’t hold yourself back from the goals you want to achieve. If you’re feeling the urge to be creative, then find an outlet to do it! Doodle in a sketch pad, sign up for a painting class, or write a short story.
Celebrate what you’ve already accomplished. When’s the last time you reflected on all the work you’ve done since you first set your goal? Find a moment and reflect on everything you’ve done and the effort you’ve put in. Write them all down and be proud that those are all things you’ve already achieved and done so well. Give yourself a pat on the back and a few kind words so you keep feeling that drive and positive energy. Say things like, “I’m so proud that I finished this even if it’s not what I first pictured,” or “Even though these seem small, they’re all steps towards what I want to achieve.” Give yourself a small reward when you reach your goals. Enjoy a sweet treat, take a break with your favorite TV show, or spend time with a friend to keep you motivated.
Pause and collect your thoughts when you hit a setback. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed by something going wrong, don’t panic. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to regulate yourself. Remind yourself again that mistakes are necessary and it’s okay if this isn’t a part of your plan. Once you’ve had a moment to calm down and reassess what’s actually happening, then look for ways to keep moving forward toward your goal. Example: If you suddenly need to include new information in a presentation you’ve been preparing, look for where to add talking points or an extra PowerPoint slide to cover it without interrupting the flow.
Reframe negative thoughts in a positive way. Challenge perfectionist thinking and reframe negative thoughts by looking at them through a hopeful or positive lens. Even if you’re struggling right now, it won’t last forever, so consider the positives that could come in the future from what you’re experiencing now. Example: Instead of thinking something like, “If I fail at this task, I’ll never be good,” reframe it as, “I am learning a new skill, and I’m getting better after each failure.” Example: Rather than thinking “This isn’t perfect, so no one should see it,” reframe it as, “Hearing what other people think will help keep improving my craft.”
Embrace criticism as a learning experience. As you’re working toward your goal, ask friends or family for their constructive feedback and listen to what they have to say. It can be scary hearing someone else’s thoughts, but they’ll tell you what you’ve already done well that you may not recognize on your own. Try to be objective about what they’re saying so you accept their criticism and take it to heart rather than getting defensive. It might feel uncomfortable or like a personal attack when you hear criticism, but remember the person isn’t trying to hurt your feelings. They just want the best outcome for the goal you’re working towards, and they’re doing their best to help you through it too.
Avoid comparing yourself to others. Everyone comes from a different walk of life, so it’s normal if your path toward a goal is different than how another person achieved it. It doesn’t matter if your friends, colleagues, or other people online are going through their lives differently. List all of the personal qualities that make you unique and that you’re proud so you see all the good you’ve done in your own life. Rather than comparing your path to success to another person, look at the qualities that you appreciate and want to mimic from them.
Stop working towards goals that don’t align with your values. Every few weeks or months, reassess the goals that you’re currently striving for and compare them to what you want to achieve long term. If you still feel passionate about the goal you’re working on, then keep up the momentum and stick with it until you’re finished. If you’re not as excited about the goal or it doesn’t fit with your long-term plans, then it’s okay to drop it. It may seem like the time you spend working toward the goal was a waste of time, but it’s better to re-align and find what you’re passionate about so you stay motivated.
Benefits of Progress Not Perfection
You’ll develop more self-confidence. As you focus more on your progression through a task, you’ll see all of your strengths and how you overcame obstacles. Since you can track your progress and everything you’ve already done, you’ll feel more confident about completing tasks in the future. You’ll feel proud of anything you do, no matter if it’s exactly how you envisioned it. When you’re working towards perfection, you may spend more time questioning if you made the right decisions or trusting yourself.
You’ll have more drive to finish personal projects. As you shift your focus to the smaller goals that you have achieved, you’ll feel that drive to keep pushing forward and work more productively. Because the tasks are smaller, easier, and you’re not worried about being perfect every step of the way, you’ll stick through to the end and stay passionate about the work you’re doing. If you keep editing or reworking a project because you’re afraid it’s not “perfect,” you may end up stalling or abandoning it altogether.
You’ll be more open to learning from your mistakes. As you get more okay with being imperfect and strive toward your goals, mistakes won’t feel like they’re catastrophic if you make them. Since you aren’t getting as distressed thinking about errors you’ve made, you’re open to looking at them objectively to see where you’re able to make improvements.
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