Sunday, July 8, 2018

EPISODE 4 : PERFECTION IS A DISEASE...


#theAngieJournals © Angie Mason 2018
Perfectionism is a Disease that Halts Progress… 
Don’t let perfection stop you from doing the things that you are dreaming of accomplishing. Perfection can be a real disease and halt progress in so many facets of life. It certainly wreaks havoc in the creative realm. I think it is better to progress imperfectly and move forward than stay in the same place not make any mistakes but also not moving not making any progress. 

A prime example of this for me is this podcast. I have no idea what I am doing really I just wanted to learn something new as well as make this podcast that I have thought about for over a year and just reach a point within myself I  said enough and begun.  I started this process of piecing it together the way I think it would work and if I am wrong or learn a better way to improve what I have done I get to discover after having put it out into the world, because I actually took the step forward and just did it. I jumped in the water not knowing how deep it was if I would hit a rock or sink but I swam and I’m swimming and learning day by day.

 The growth really comes from choosing to be engaged and active. If you are worried and do nothing but think it’s not good enough It’s not perfect you may never get to where you want to be because you need to try things to get from point A to point B. Don’t let perfectionism cripple your ability to create. Don’t let it creep in and halt progress. It is great to improve and grow and this happens when we allow ourselves to try and fail or succeed but trying and doing are so much better than standing frozen in perfections path. Don’t let the fear of failing or being perfect stop you from doing things. 

This is a poem note I wrote  for myself over 10 years ago I felt like this was a good time and place to share it:

Perfection is a disease 
It is not a goal.  
It will only stifle your ability to move forward. 
We are all misshaped, broken, imperfect creatures 
and that is what makes us beautiful. 
Our flaws and quirks make us special.  
Homogenized beauty is boring and 
a manufactured perfect life is hollow.  
Be human, be broken, just be and do and try.  
 - A. Mason 


Here are some suggested action steps: 

  • Think about the thing that you want to accomplish bring that to the front of your mind focus all your attention on this idea whatever passion project it is, raw concept, new venture in learning whatever it may be just think about that. Sit with this in your thoughts for a solid 20 minutes or more.  Meditate on what your intentions and goal is for this idea or passion project. Think about what is holding you back, what are your obstacles. Embrace this moment and keep this goal in the front of your mind. Now go to the next step immediately. 

  • After you have really thought about your intentions and project go seek out a table, corner, chair, where ever you are and just get to work. If this means you have to begin by writing out a project plan or time line, project map or to do list, then do that! Make your idea physically exist in this world.  Let it live not just in your head as an idea, give birth to it, make it real.  If you already have a million to do dream lists all circled around this idea it’s time to start just going down that list and implementing them. As an example for me I have had this podcast idea swirling in my head for over a year wanting to create my own. So after a sleepless night of waking up to inspired ideas I just said ok lets get to work enough of this dreaming I need to start doing. So I went down my list, gathered all my sound bytes, got my necessary software in place ( I use Adobe Audition to make my podcast), I created original artwork, original music ( I learned how to play the ukulele in 2015 after taking a trip to Hawaii and loved it ever since), I went online and made the bare bones blog home for my soon to be podcast. All in a matter of a couple days I did this. This was my spark. Find your spark to get your fire burning and then nurture those flames and keep burning bright not letting the nefarious voice of perfection creep in your head darkening your light to stop your good work. You know that voice saying “Who do you think you are doing this! You can’t do this, you don’t know how do this, you will fail!” etc. You know that voice? Yeah? Well tell that voice to fuck off. ;)

  • Dedicate at least 10 to 15 minutes or more a day toward this project. Use the insight timer app to keep your timed focus in check. Make a schedule and stick to it. This will get you to your destination. Progress is progress one step ahead each day is still moving forward. 


The thing is life shifts so rapidly it is near impossible to be perfect and get this, no one expects you to be! There is also an excitement of the unknown and not knowing what you are doing and not worrying but just going for it, make something that wasn’t there before. Have fun! Think about how tragic it is to see a brilliant mind full of ideas get hung up on perfection and they never end up actually making any ideas come into being. What a waste of potential what inventions that could have changed the world never happened because they noodled away at some point and got lost in the details, never completing the idea, never realizing it all because they thought it wasn’t perfect. You don’t have to let this happen to you. You can sit down right now and say this is it and all you have to do is take that one step of making it physically exist in this world and keep paying it attention keep nurturing your ideas pushing them along don’t criticize or beat yourself up just grow. Allow yourself to make this idea real. Put your energy out in this universe and don’t worry if it’s not perfect because really nothing ever is. Just do and be and see!  I think one of the most beautiful things we do as humans is create things out of nothing. When I have these moments they are magical astonishing moments and I want to have as many of those moments as possible and not let any thing get in my way especially perfection. 


Time mixed with perfectionism equals disaster. A recipe for a big nothing pie. Time goes fast we don’t have the luxury to get hung up on getting things perfect. That is why you see constant updates on your apps and software and cars and products get redesigned every year because we are constantly growing and improving because we are never perfect we are also never satisfied.  I will leave you with this line again:

 Be human, be broken, just be and do and try. 



 - Dream Yourself Awake.

A. The Clarity Cloud Consortium™ 

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