Is Perfectionism the Bane of Your Creative Existence?
Is perfectionism the bane of your creative existence? I’m a perfectionist, and though I think it’s great to take pride in my work, and I love detail like nobody’s business, I also know that my perfectionistic tendencies can stifle my creativity and slow down my productivity, whether I’m writing, drawing, painting, or making jewelry. I’ve also discovered that my perfectionism even keeps me from blogging on a more regular basis for fear that what I have to say will be boring or irrelevant. Well, so what. It’s my blog, right? LOL I’m getting better, starting with this post. 
Anyway, if perfectionism is your bane, you might find it helpful to read an article by Jenny Williamson titled “Is Perfectionism Killing Your Career?” She’s right. Perfection is like the Tooth Fairy–neither one exists.
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I have no problem starting projects. But perfectionism makes it difficult for me to stop – to finish something and put it out there. I am a painter and have 20 unfinished paintings laying around my house. People ask me when I’m going to sign them, and I have a hard time doing that even after they’re sold! It is also why I don’t have a website posted yet. Been working on it for over a month now.
I understand, Renee! When I was writing and submitting my work for publication, I often got caught up in a cycle of editing and re-editing to make the piece as perfect as possible. But as with any creative project I had to reach the point when I decided that no matter how much I worked, there would be no way to make it perfect, and I had to let it go. I’ve also realized that there will be some pieces I like better than others, and that’s okay. And, too, I comfort myself with the thought that because I try to always stretch my creative abilities, each project will improve with my increasing knowledge and skill.
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