Do you crave perfection? Does every little flaw drive you crazy? Do you work and work and work to put the final touches on a creation long after the point when most people would have moved on? Do you expect perfection not only from yourself, but also from others around you?
As an engineer by training, I was taught to believe that perfection is attainable. Not just attainable, but expected. In some areas of my life and work, this has been a good thing. In others, it’s just plain annoying. Or, so I’ve been told.
Several years ago, I had LASIK to correct my vision. And I expected perfection.
LASIK is not perfect. Read the fine print and listen to the ads carefully. What they actually promise is, “a reduced dependency on eye glasses and contacts.” Claims of perfect vision are only made with a subtle disclaimer, as in, “Many patients experience 20/20 vision…”
My optometrist wishes I had paid better attention to those qualifying statements because I have been driving him crazy since having the procedure 8 years ago. (He didn’t do the procedure, but he did refer me to the place that did.)
It’s not that my procedure was botched. I do have “a reduced dependency on eye glasses or contacts.” Legally, I’m even allowed to drive without glasses. How I passed that vision exam, I’m not sure. There was much squinting involved.
During my most recent exam, I told my optometrist that things had become much better lately. Not because my vision was any better. But, rather, because I adjusted my attitude, my expectations.
He said I had achieved, “20/Good enough.”
Isn’t that the way it should be in many cases? Yes, striving for perfection is laudable. But, having the expectation of actually achieving it is a sure path to insanity. Insisting on perfection is rarely justified.
Consider the task at hand. Strive for perfection. Remember to step back once in a while and recognize when you have achieved “20/Good enough.”