Being perfect is one of the easiest ways to prevent one from living. The truest statement I have ever heard is no one is perfect and we should not strive to be. We expect to get the perfect score on our test while in school and most of the time there is some type of reward if the perfection is obtained. In addition, what are we really teaching students about life? In order for me to feel accomplished in whatever I do, I must try to be perfect, and if I do score a perfect score on a test, there will be a reward. Otherwise, doing the best I can is simply not good enough.
Teaching students to do the best they can is not emphasized as much any more because many school systems are struggling. In reality, schools do not understand what they are asking their students to do. On the one hand a teacher will tell students to do the best they can on a test, but on the other they praise perfect scores, showing that their real focus is on more perfect students. This pushes for unhealthy perfectionism rather than for students to do as well as they are normally capable. Being in school is a privilege and a learning experience. Some students do work harder at some subjects and areas than others. If a student is doing his or her best, this should not be looked down upon, because perfection is often unattainable.
When students get to college they begin to realize that there are more important things in life besides perfection. I am not condoning unsatisfactory grades by any means, but I am saying college and life go by fast and these are some of the best years of one’s life. Therefore stressing too much and constantly striving for perfection to the detriment of the other aspects of life should be avoided, if possible.
Most perfectionists have a fear of failure, and this causes them to want everything to be perfect in their life from school to work and family. What if I told you failure is the key to success? There are plenty of successful people who can attest to this observation simply because they know and understand that all failure is not bad failure. When applying for a job or even for a certain organization, not getting accepted is not always horrible or bad. Yes, it is a bad feeling, but sometimes there is something better in store.
While in high school I had to cope with the fact life is not perfect and some things are not meant for one to achieve. I applied to work for Leadership Neshoba, and I did not get into the organization, but I also applied for another leadership organization as well. As I was politely declined from Leadership Neshoba, I was getting ready for an interview with the other organization, and I was accepted into the program. This, to me, showed failure is indeed the key to success not just for very successful people, but for regular people as well. In fact, upon my acceptance into the second organization, I was granted a full paid trip to Washington D.C. to represent my hometown.
There are a lot of famous people who failed and then realized what they got in return was way better. For example, Michael Jordan was one of the many failures who later became very good at what he did. Michael Jordan did not make the high school basketball team, and the coach told him to come back and try again. This is what failure has done for so many people; it has pushed them to do better.
We all have to remember perfection is one of those touchy subjects because we all have some sort of perfectionism in us, but we must understand being perfect is impossible. In addition, being a perfectionist implies one will do whatever it takes to get there. No one should let perfectionism take over his or her life to the point to where he or she cannot live. Living is what is important. When everyone learns to do the best he or she can do and understand failure is a part of life, that is the only way to be successful. Aknowledging I am not perfect and I will never be perfect was one of the best ways that I truly began to live and have liberty in college.
