Is Obstinate Perfectionism Killing Your New Year's Resolve?

Like many of us, I began the year with a sense of hope and expectation. I resolved to do better, be healthier, be more strategic, and have greater impact.

Only one month into the New Year and I’ve discovered two main obstacles to my resolve...

The first obstacle is my obstinate refusal to actually change.  After all, I had good reasons for the choices that got me to where I am—or where I don’t want to be. I keep hoping for a different outcome without making different choices. But until I change, it’s unrealistic for me to expect a different outcome.

The second obstacle is my definition of success. You see, I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I envision how things should be and am not satisfied until they’re perfect. This means that I’m never really satisfied. But what if I changed my definition of success from “perfection” to “excellence”? Excellence means doing the best you can with what you have. That’s not a cop-out; rather, it’s the very definition of good stewardship.

So my New Month’s Resolutions are...

• To make the choices required for real change
• To be a good steward instead of a dissatisfied perfectionist

I’ll let you know how it goes! Let us know how it’s going with you!

Happy New Month!