How many times have you heard the advice to be consistent? I’m guessing a lot.
Consistency is an overused term when it comes to creative advice. But the truth is it works. Being consistent can actually make you better and help you succeed as a writer or creator. It’s also an achievable goal.
Perfection, on the other hand, is the enemy of success. It makes you feel anxious when you don’t find your expected outcome. The pursuit of perfection often leads to procrastination, frustration, or burnout. You can never achieve perfect results every time.
Being perfect is subjective because it depends from person to person. It’s only a perception that you achieved a perfect outcome. The definition varies for every individual.
For example, you consider 10,000 views on an article as a perfect outcome. But a more proficient writer might consider 100,000 views as perfect.
Striving for perfection leads to constant dissatisfaction because the bar is constantly shifting. It is impossible to hit the target every time. When you set unrealistic goals as a perfectionist, you will feel dissatisfied.
Consistency builds momentum for long-term success.
The problem with perfectionists is they want positive outcomes quickly for their work. Again, that’s unrealistic.
Instead of expecting such results, consistent actions compound over time to lead to significant progress. Showing up daily to produce work helps your audience see you. You will attract people who resonate with your work.
Even if some of your work doesn’t perform well (which is likely to happen), you won’t feel much affected because you know you will show up again tomorrow. You begin to enjoy the process of daily action, and the results won’t bother you.
Consistency also helps you build new habits. It’s the only way to make a significant transformation. However, it might require you to take small daily actions and make minor progress.
Perfectionism is a leading cause of procrastination.
Many of my perfectionist friends delay releasing their work or don’t show up because they feel it’s not perfect. They find it hard to satisfy themselves regarding their work, no matter how good.
They wait to create the perfect work or for the perfect moment. But sadly, they never truly get 100% satisfaction.
Consistency supports imperfect actions and outcomes. People who show up consistently know that all of their work won’t produce positive outcomes. But they are okay with that. They understand that they must put out imperfect work to learn and progress as a creator.
“Progress over perfection” should be your mantra.
My number one rule as a creator is, “Done is better than perfect.”
One major problem with perfectionists is that they are afraid of criticism. They don’t want to show that their work has flaws; they want to be the best in the eyes of their audience or others.
Unfortunately, it’s impossible in reality because there will always be people who disagree or disapprove of your work. You can never satisfy every person. You progress once you overcome the need to avoid criticism and make everyone happy with your work.
Consistency leads to growth and improvement. Embracing imperfection and taking action consistently is the surest way to learn and grow. It is crucial to learn from mistakes and feedback.
Focus on progress, not perfection.
It doesn’t matter if the progress is minor. As long as you are improving, it boosts your mindset and gets you going, which results in long-term success.
Success is built on regular effort rather than one-time perfection.
Quit going after perfection, as it is holding you back. Begin to embrace consistency.
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