Why Perfect Is NOT The Goal

I’m sorry, I tried being perfect. It’s just not me.

When the doctor diagnosed me with with an eating disorder and directed the word “anorexia” towards me for the first time, I had two immediate reactions:

First I thought “There’s no way, that’s not me“.

At the same time I thought, “If they want to call me anorexic I’ll show them…I’ll do it perfectly“.

Perfect WAS the goal. It always had been. Perfect student. Perfect athlete. Perfectly happy. Perfectly sweet.

And when I found I couldn’t be all of those things anymore, I needed something else on which to focus my need for perfection.

The perfect body.

The perfect diet.

I followed my running program perfectly. I followed my diet to the last teaspoon. I lost weight (perfect!).

And I was sick and miserable.

Perfect Is Not the Goal

Real life doesn’t have room for perfect. It is beautifully flawed and malleable and fluid.

When you strive for perfection, you set your self up for defeat.

It’s the reason strict diet plans and rigid workout programs don’t work long term.

As soon as you step one toe out of line (it was your birthday, NYE, your son’s graduation, girl’s night out, a Saturday), you feel like you’ve failed.

Despite days/weeks/months of following the rules, that one extra slice of pizza or missed workout can blow you completely off track. Instead of looking at the bigger picture, we zero in on our failure and believe it’s all that matters.

And we’re miserable.

What is the Goal?

So if perfect is never the goal, what is?

The goal is simple and wonderful: be a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday.

That’s true from every angle and it’s a completely freeing mindset.

bet-ter: improved in mental health or attitude; more advantageous or effective; improved in accuracy or performance

Make one healthier choice today than you did yesterday. Walk one more mile. Master one more skill.

Imagine the transformation your life could make in 365 days if your formula was for “better”, not “perfect”.