Regular readers of my work will know that I end almost every article the same way.
“Pace towards perfection.”
However, you might be wondering something like, “Okay, that’s nice, but what the hell does that actually mean?”
So, I figured that it was time for me to explain my own catchphrase.
It’s Not About Perfection
If you spend more than 5 minutes on any self-improvement and wellness website or group, you will undoubtedly come across the following piece of advice.
“Perfectionism is unhealthy.”
But I’m telling you to do it anyway, right?
No, not even close.
In fact, I agree with them. The goal is not to reach perfection, as such a thing is not actually possible. The goal is to pace towards it. All that means is that you consistently better yourself.
Depending on how you are doing in life and your situation, this can be fast or it can be slow. It doesn’t matter what rate you do it as long as you are moving forward.
That’s why I say pace towards perfection. Pacing indicates a slow but steady rate of improvement.
Sometimes, you will be walking; other times, you’ll be jogging; sometimes, you’ll be running full tilt.
However fast you do it, as long as you are at least pacing towards perfection, you are good.
Perfection Is Unattainable, Why That’s A Good Thing.
No, I’m not just a masochist.
You might have heard the comment idea that the point of life is the journey and not the destination. There is one destination that I think all people should share: becoming the best version of themselves possible.
That is going to look differently for you than it is for me.
The self-improvement journey is one that is never over. As long as you are alive, you should be working on yourself. Depending on your belief system, you might even be working on it after that. The point is that there is no destination for self-improvement.
In my eyes, perfection is the apotheosis of self-improvement. So, setting perfection as the destination forces us to enjoy the journey because that’s all there is.
You will never reach the destination of perfection because that is not a place you can actually go to. However, whenever we aim for that, regardless, we embark on an unending expedition of fulfillment.
I find that to be one of the best ways to live your life.
Finding Fulfillment In The Journey.
As this is the epitome of a lifelong journey, it is critical that you find fulfillment along the way. Far too many people set a goal with only the endpoint in mind. That is the only stage where they will find fulfillment in the process.
As you can imagine, this is not an ideal or healthy way to go about your goals.
This is especially true of the self-improvement journey because if you don’t enjoy the process, you won’t enjoy any of it. When there is no reachable destination and only the journey, you are forced to enjoy its day-to-day aspects.
Find fulfillment in doing the things you enjoy and learning about the things that you are interested in. If we lived for 500+ years, we would have much more time to explore everything in depth.
However, the average human lives for 70 years, which means that you have to be selective about what you study and pursue.
The best way to go about it is to pursue interests and activities that align with your personality. You can almost always find something that aligns with your values and interests, is monetizable, and brings value to the world. This is based on a Japanese concept called Ikigai.
I personally believe that the Ikigai is something that everyone should be required to complete at various stages of their life because of the immense clarity that it brings. Here’s an article on the subject if you wish to learn more.
Following your interests is the best way to go about living a meaningful life and finding fulfillment in the journey rather than just arbitrary goals. Everyone has something that they are passionate about or have an interest in.
If you don’t know what you’re good at or passionate about, I highly suggest you just try everything. Consider yourself to be at a food-tasting event where all the foods are different skills and activities. Go around and taste all the samples and figure out what you like.
This is the best piece of advice that I know to give to young people (middle and high schoolers), though it can equally apply to everyone. I spent my teenage years pursuing various interests and finding out what I was passionate about, and it helped me tremendously.
I am only 22 years old, but I have a sense of clarity of who I am and what I want to do that many people twice my age don’t have.
That is not as much of a brag as it is an indicator of how powerful this method is.
Interestingly enough, I ended up pursuing a process in my own reflection that is quite similar to the Ikigai Method, Which I only recently discovered about a year or so ago.
However, I wish I had discovered it sooner because it would have helped save me a lot of time.
When you reach adulthood, you have many more responsibilities and commitments than the average teenager. That is why whenever I get the chance to impart this piece of advice to somebody who is still in that age range, I do so.
The younger you get this advice, the better.
However, you can still explore your interests at any age, but it might just take a bit longer, as you have to maintain other commitments. Either way, I recommend that this is something that everyone does.
I consider this style of learning and trying new things as a highly productive use of time. Improving yourself is one of the best ways to pace towards perfection.
Even though I have a good understanding of who I am and what I want to do at this point in my life, I still consistently try new things because you never know what will become fulfilling.
You should never stop learning and experimenting.
Wrap Up
Passing toward perfection is not about perfection. It is about the journey towards perfection. Specifically, it’s about the journey of self-improvement itself.
Become the best you can be while living a fulfilling and enjoyable life. If you can do that, success is a natural by-product. If you can achieve all of those things, what else can you ask for?
So, that is why I tell you to pace towards perfection, to become at least a little better every single day.
As always, do what I’ve already said a hundred times in this article. :)