Why Your Search For Perfection Is Actually Ruining Your Life

When we live in almost-perfect land our dreams are always moments away.

Do you feel like you’re “almost ready” to dive headfirst into life?

I can’t see you. But, I’m gonna guess your hand shot up.

We’re almost ready for the perfect relationship.

We’re almost ready to dive into love again.

We’re on the verge of not scraping by financially.

We’re almost ready to take our art seriously.

We’re almost ready to put down the donuts and pick up the kale.

We’re on the verge of having a body we can look at and smile towards.

We’re almost committed to our spiritual practice.

We are drowning in almost-good-enough-ness.

Or, maybe it’s just me and I’m just projecting.

But, this almost being ready is killing us. I’ve had the tendency to not want to participate until I’m fully perfect. That way, I can retain some sort of control.

Story time: I played a lot of basketball growing up. My dad was obsessed with basketball and had this thing called ‘old man’s ball’. Three days a week, every week, for years. I was always too nervous to play; I didn’t feel ready. I wouldn’t play until I was perfect, which in my head meant being able to dunk a basketball.

Eventually I could dunk, yay me. But, by then it was too long. I got to play basketball with him twice, in his land of enjoyment. Two times before he died of cancer. Now, I can barely touch a basketball without feeling nostalgic and sad.

I was so busy with perfection, i forgot about this thing called life, and the moments we never get back.

Planning too heavily for the future is planning for a life that isn’t going to be there when the time comes.

Be a beginner.

Suck at things.

What’s the loud wish or quiet whisper deep inside your heart?

Are you following it? Or, are you waiting for that perfect moment.

Are you dancing with time until it’s too late?

We only live once inside this bag of flesh.

What are you doing with it?

You’re not almost ready for love, you’re ready now.

You’re not almost ready to pursue your art, you’re ready now.

You’re not almost ready to drop everything and pursue your passion, you’re ready now.

Readiness is a farce. We’re all making it up as we go along.

Perfection as a goal is impossible. Yet, it’s only something we can flirt with in motion.

We only have our moments.

Don’t let the sad, deranged poetry of almost ruin your life.

How many more will we let slip by?