There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven
-Ecclesiastes 3:1
I believe in excellence. I believe God is honored when we discipline ourselves, develop our talents, and use them for His glory (see also: Excellence: Stand Before Kings). I believe we owe it to God to learn what we are good at, then do our best to become great at it.
But I’m not advocating perfectionism–demanding that every single thing in your life be perfect. Trying to be perfect in everything might just keep you from focusing on anything. It’s also a pretty good way to drive yourself crazy.
Maybe you could call my philosophy “selective perfectionism.” There are a few things which I’m constantly trying to improve (writing and speaking, for example).
Selective perfectionism also means being flexible. Yesterday, for example, I accepted a last-minute invitation to speak to a group of students. The campus is nearby, and they just needed me to talk about something for a few minutes. It wasn’t my best lecture, but it was the best I could do given the circumstances. It turned out to be an enjoyable opportunity to serve students.
Do a few things, and do those few things well. Always leave room for failure and progress.
I confess to being a perfectionist.
Not that everything and everyone in my life has to be but I feel at times I have to be. BUT God is good, He always finds a way to let me know, I’d still be loved even if I’m so perfectly imperfect.
Quoting you – “Trying to be perfect in everything might just keep you from focusing on anything. It’s also a pretty good way to drive yourself crazy.”
I so agree…
always always leave a room for improvement. we can never be perfect and we can always try to learn from our mistakes and failures. Good Job Kuya Kevin!
You shouldn’t be afraid to fail if you really want to be successful.
Good post!
Failure isn’t OPTIONAL, it is NECESSARY