As I've been working at being better at collaborating I've been reflecting on my perfectionist tendencies. I really like collaborating with others. The piece that I sometimes find uncomfortable is knowing that changing something I've been working on isn't a sign that I was wrong. That having more inputs into something can only make it stronger because it takes all of our diverse strengths to make something work.
I was googling a little bit on this and stumbled across this article from Huff Post on perfectionism. The line I've included in the title of this post resonated with me in a kind of scary way. I've definitely gotten a lot better at defining myself outside of my achievements, but it's a habit that I fall back into sometimes. For a long time I defined myself by my success. By the grades I got, the number and perceived prestige of my extra-curricular activities. The fear of not achieving drove me. I was looking for so many external things to tell me who I was and that I was successful in life.
Perfectionism is the part of who I am that the more I let go of it the happier I am and the more I become the person I want to be. I strive to be someone who is quick to compliment and not criticize myself and others. So for now I pretty carefully keep track of the perfectionist tendencies, note them and try to let them go. Sort of faking it until I make it. Just like with courage being a skill you can learn, this too is something that gets a little easier every time I flex the muscle. It helps that I now define myself as a lot more than my achievements.
Being a Force for Good 