I still struggle with perfectionism, but I've found that outside of VERY specific academic contexts (which no longer apply to me now that I'm out of school), done is better than good. Having a product that is 80-99% of the way there is usually enough for whatever it is you're doing. NOTHING needs to be perfect, because perfection is, quite frankly, unobtainable. In academia, the consequences for late/incomplete work were FAR greater than submitting something that wasn't "perfect."
I know it's easier said than done, but as soon as you start judging your work on a scale of "doneness" rather than "perfection" you can figure out how you work, and from there you can approach projects with new efficiency, and eventually your work will be both done AND good. Both good enough to submit, and good enough to be proud of. Don't hold yourself to the impossible standards, and you'll be alright!
1d ago
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The best advice I've found, especially as a perfectionist. As someone who always strives for flawlessness, I've realized this mindset can often hold me back. It's easy to get caught up in making everything just right, but that can lead to never finishing projects or, worse, never starting them. This advice reminds me to focus on completion rather than perfection. It's about making progress and not letting the fear of imperfection paralyze you. You can always refine and improve something once it exists, but you can't improve what you haven't created yet. It's about striking a balance between quality and actually getting things done
Jul 17, 2024
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set a timer for yourself to do the thing you've been procrastinating for five minutes. then work up to 10, 15, etc.
i often feel way better after I Do The Thing. the procrastination part is usually just dreading getting started, but once you do the task tends to go by quickly, esp if you put on music or a TV show in the background. calling a friend or just having them in the room to body double is helpful as well if you are of the ADHD persuasion.
i totally understand the fear of failure though - i often let wanting things to be "perfect" get in the way of "good enough". not that you should half-ass things, but go a little easier on yourself. i'm sure whatever project you're working on will turn out 10X better than you think it will. best of luck xx
Mar 15, 2025
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it is all too easy to get swept up in all-or-nothing thinking. my house is messy so I either need to clean the entire thing or continue living in squalor. I have a shitload of work to do so I’ll either avoid it all or I have to block out 7 hours to get everything done. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY!
Enter: just doing a little bit. I don’t have to do all the dishes, just a couple.
as a perfectionist, this is still a novel concept to me even after many years. i still relish the fact that I can be like “oh just do a little bit!” Like how cool.
3d ago
Top Recs from @haydenaugust
A website with a collection of screengrabs from nearly every movie you could think of, and you can sort by film title, director, cinematographer, year, genre, country, etc. Great for visual references for lookbooks, or just to discover a new film you might be interested in seeing!
I've attached one of my favorite stills, a great moment from Chungking Express (Dir. Wong Kar-Wai, 1994).
Dec 30, 2024
At my local indie cinema for a projection of the new Nosferatu, infinitely grateful I have a place like this I can go to see new stuff and incredible programming!
Dec 25, 2024
Just going out and picking up any kind of used physical media (books, CDs, DVDs, cassette tapes) makes the archivist in me happy, like I’m preserving somebody else’s story/ enjoyment of something
My personal favorite thing is VHS tapes, I’ve got a decent collection (all thrifted) and they’re usually the cheapest things offered
Jan 3, 2025