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How To Be A Productive Perfectionist

There are two categories that a perfectionist can fall into: mature or immature. For immature perfectionists, everything matters; for mature perfectionists, only a few things matter. The key question is: how do you know what matters? Or more importantly, how do you know when something matters?


Perhaps I could lead you to the answer by asking you two questions:

  1. How did you learn what foods you like?

  2. How did you learn when you like them or don’t?

You probably didn’t create a spreadsheet in an attempt to decide once and for all which foods you like or don’t. You just tried a bunch of things, and that’s how you learned.


To understand what matters and what doesn’t, you must test and expand your contextual scope. If you are a perfectionist who struggles to let go, you are in serious trouble. You are robbing yourself of the insights you gain from rapid testing. The quality of your work, the breadth of your knowledge, and the depth of your understanding all depend on evaluation. On average, it is better to evaluate ten experiences instead of one. Most perfectionists, however, get stuck on that one experience that they try to perfect.


Understand: If you are a perfectionist, you will remain one forever. Learning to cope with it does not mean betraying it.


Whatever it is that you’re trying to learn, break it down. Pick one step, one move, one action, and repeat it 20x. That will teach you what you're doing well or what you can improve. Once you've perfected that one thing, move on to the next. Rinse and repeat.


This is how you learned your native language. This is how you’ll learn anything else. This, is how to be a productive perfectionist.


Quantity is the precursor of quality.

4 comentarios


Lades Neffous
Lades Neffous
21 ene

the notion of perfection in a craftsman exists because the craftsman carries out a plan, he can actually seek to achieve it as closely as possible to the objectives, he calls this perfection. however in art, we do not make a plan, the artist creates as he produces and what will be one day will be different the next. therefore there is no perfection. Pablo Picasso always said that he was a very bad apprentice and yet he is a great master. Claude Monet said the same thing about him, Rembrandt... according to the criteria of perfection of the time, Henri Matisse was fired from the Beaux Arts Paris... This confusion comes from the fact that we do not fully…

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Bill GIS
11 dic 2023

Hello everyone,

beautiful words, Reza.

Yesterday I worked long hours to do the mark stiching, it was my first ever.

When I did not like something i just tried again, and again, and again.

By the end of the day I had the result the "picture" that satisfied my aesthetic. The feeling was so strong.

So, I come to the conclusion that we need two things hard work and a good teacher to guide you.


I told you Reza, we will be with you all the way to this beautiful journey.😍

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Kristi Garrett
11 dic 2023

Ah, I see… When I wanted to be a great writer, I fixated on getting that one novel just right (while my editor suggested I move on to the next). When I took up painting, my experienced friend reminded me I had miles and miles of canvas to paint to reach my potential.

I will tailor many garments as I perfect my craft, so enjoy the journey!

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Bill Davis
Bill Davis
11 dic 2023

Sounds like good advice to me. I enjoy organizing things, particularly a mess. I pick out just the right shelves, assemble them so that the items or containers fit just right, and by the time I’m done, the closet, room, or garage looks great…I can’t where I put things, and no one else can find what they’re looking for, but it’s organized. 😆 The point is, at least for me, I get so focused on the process that I lose sight of the objective.


It’s interesting what you said about getting something right, repeating it, then move on to the next thing. I apologize if I’m boring you and the rest of the class with my boat seat suits, but…


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