In the pursuit of perfection, we often forget that growth lives in the messy middle.

Dear Diary,

It’s midnight and I’m still here, rewriting the same thing for the third time. My desk is a mess and papers are everywhere, but my mind is messier. Every sentence I write seems wrong, as if the words are mocking me for not being good enough. Perfectionism is whispering again: “Only flawless work is worthy. Anything less is a failure.” Imperfection feels like a shadow lurking in every mistake and making me question if I’m enough.

The pressure feels suffocating like trying to breathe underwater. My eyes sting from staring at the screen for hours, but I can’t stop. I feel like I’m running on a treadmill with no off switch, chasing a standard I can’t define, let alone reach. Will this ever end?

Realization

Today, I stumbled across something unexpected during a conversation with a classmate. They mentioned how striving for perfection often makes them freeze up. It hit me: perfection comes with a cost.

Stress loops in my mind like a bad song stuck on repeat. It’s paralyzing. I didn’t raise my hand in class today, afraid I’d say something stupid. The fear of being wrong or looking foolish holds me back from participating, learning and even trying. Burnout is knocking at my door, and honestly? I’m too tired to answer.

New friend: progress

Something shifted today and it was surprisingly small but monumental. I stumbled during my presentation, laughed and kept going. And you know what? No one cared. No one laughed or judged me. The world didn’t collapse.

That’s when I met someone new: progress. It whispered something I hadn’t considered before: “Done is better than perfect. Growth lives in the messy middle.”

Here’s the advice that progress gave me and I’m writing it down to remind myself:

1. Redefine success: Aim for better than yesterday, not perfection. Celebrate small wins, no matter how tiny.
2. Set time limits: When the clock says stop, I’ll submit my work, flaws and all, because perfection is an illusion.
3. Practice imperfection: Make small, deliberate mistakes to get used to the discomfort. It’s freeing, in a strange way.
4. Seek feedback early: Sharing rough drafts feels terrifying, but collaboration often sparks ideas and reveals blind spots.
5. Use the 80/20 rule: Focus on the 20 per cent of effort that creates 80 per cent of the impact. Let go of the rest.
6. Reflect, don’t dwell: Instead of obsessing over mistakes, I’ll ask myself: “What did I learn?”

It’s strange, but I feel a little lighter already.

Finding joy

Guess what? I tried painting today for the first time in years. The brushes slipped in my hand, colours blended in ways I didn’t plan and the lines were anything but straight. But I loved every second of it.

Every mistake became part of the artwork and each moment was filled with discovery. I’m learning to let go of the need to control every outcome. Perfectionism might still linger in the background, but it no longer holds the spotlight.

Each “mistake” teaches me something new and every attempt feels like progress. I’m not just reducing stress—I’m growing, learning and finally having fun.

Note to future me

To the future me, if you’re ever tempted to chase perfection again, remember this: Perfectionism may dazzle, but it’s progress that builds the masterpiece of your life. Don’t let fear hold you back from creating, learning or taking risks.

Embrace the messy middle, celebrate your efforts and keep moving forward. Every imperfection is a brushstroke in the story of your life. Your story, flaws, quirks and all are worth sharing.

Love,
Your imperfectly perfect self

Feature image courtesy of Des Récits via Unsplash.

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