Anytime I hear someone say, "I won't accept anything less than perfect," I think of Anne Lamott's retort: "Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor."
Let's be clear. Perfection is something to strive for, like eternity, as long as you know you'll never achieve it. Insisting on perfection means letting that naysayer in your head get the best of your judgment. As an example, look at the three-word sentence at the top of this paragraph. I gave little thought to it, but now these six of an infinite number of alternatives are crossing my mind:
Let's be clear. Perfection is something to strive for, like eternity, as long as you know you'll never achieve it. Insisting on perfection means letting that naysayer in your head get the best of your judgment. As an example, look at the three-word sentence at the top of this paragraph. I gave little thought to it, but now these six of an infinite number of alternatives are crossing my mind:
Who cares? Just write the darn thing. Life is too short to mess around with a sentence whose "perfection" is entirely subjective. A writer needs to produce words, sentences, paragraphs, and documents, not slave over the impossible idea of perfection. Perfectionism falls under the if-you-had-one-wish category. It's a pipe dream. Thanks for the reminder, Anne Lamott!
- Let me be clear.
- To clarify ...
- So what's the point?
- The point Lamott is making ...
- Lamott's point is so clear to the thoughtful writer.
- (Omit the sentence.)
