Perfection can be a friend or an enemy

​I try to be a perfect father.

A perfect writer and teacher and speaker.

I try to be a perfect follower of Jesus.

Trying to be perfect used to work against me because perfection used to be the end goal of my trying to be perfect. And when you're trying to be perfect, something that is quite unobtainable, you'll always feel dissatisfied with your efforts if your end goal is actually being perfect.

As I write this article, I have some idea of what a perfect article would look and feel like to me. When I'm done writing it, it will not be perfect. The difference between today writer me and years ago writer me is in spite of me knowing it's not perfect, I will be satisfied enough with my work that I will share it anyways.

Perfection is no longer the test of whether I should keep writing or not. Quite the opposite. Recognizing my imperfection is my motivation to keep doing it.

The key to having perfection as your friend is seeing perfection as a target and not a mandate.

The key to having perfection as a friend is seeing it as an impossibility that helps grow your possibilities along the way.

The key to having perfection as a friend is seeing it as a call you'll never fully be able to answer, but one always worth listening to what the caller has to say.

We all have a relationship with perfection. For some of us it's friendly and for some not so much.

If your relationship with perfection is unfriendly, I encourage you to change the way you look at it. I used to see perfection as a judge of my worth, now I see it more as a friend trying to grow it.

I think perfection is probably a beautiful place. I just no longer have to get there and see it to believe it.