Perfection Is Too Much
The Lanzarote Sessions - Series 11 Session 8
THE MESSAGE
Transcribed on 10th September 2025 @ 2:30pm
I want to talk to you about one of your strengths and the equal and opposite effect it has on you. I’m talking about perfection, as you call it.
You have become a person always striving for perfection in whatever you undertake. Some would call it a noble approach, and generally speaking it can be. It’s part of your sanguine character. But it has an equal and opposite force that you have been subjected to far more times than it need be.
I’m talking about failure to achieve perfection. You see, even those words are negative in force,” failure”. Ask yourself, in your six decades and six years on earth, can you recall the number of times you have achieved perfection in anything? You can’t, because even when you finish something to a satisfactory standard, you’re negative with yourself.
Talking to yourself about how you could and should have done better. When you share your achievements with others you claim “I did my best,” which is your way of saying it’s not perfect. There is a happy medium you must learn to accept and that is that perfection in anything is hard, if not impossible to achieve. Few people ever do. Learn to strive to do the best you are able to with everything you do, but be accepting of the results without condemnation or criticism.
Your common phrase “ It is what it is“ is a good one to use more often. When you profess to others that you are a perfectionist, you leave no room for failure. Yet failure, as we have discussed is often inevitable.
This approach is better and carries a lighter mental baggage. Always do your best and accept that in the results.
Your father was the biggest influence in your early years of learning. He believed in perfection and wouldn’t accept anything less. Yes, people admired his work and his skills, but it came as a cost to him. Everything he undertook, he did so expecting perfection and would be angry or annoyed if he failed to achieve it. He had no room for anything but perfection. Yet, lets be bluntly honest, there are few things mankind has ever achieved that could be judged as perfect in every way.
You may have some better skills at some things than others. And they too will be able to do things you can only dream of. But perfection eludes everyone.
Own up to your limitations, strive to do your best at everything and appreciate the outcome without kicking yourself for a poor job. Instead, tell yourself, “I’ll do that better next time“, and leave it as it is.
Although my message today was aimed at this medium, I know there will be others who read my words that will understand the message in my sentiments.
To accept my advice, you need to change some aspects of how you think. You will only ever be able to do your best. Nobody could, would or should expect more from you. If they do, that is a problem they have to deal with, not you.
You’ve written my words well and I know you’ll appreciate the importance of the message.
Have a great day and do your best throughout it. It will be what it will be.
Goodbye.
Original Notes
