Perfectionism

Tonight I was blessed to listen to a high school senior practice an inspiration speech she was giving.  It was amazing!! She quoted Michael J. Fox as saying, "I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business."

Perfection. Something only one person has ever achieved in their lives.  Then that person willingly died as an innocent man a brutal death so that we can - in our imperfect state - hope to spend eternity with him.  

Perfectionist. Something too many of us are yet we can never achieve.  It can be debilitating.  I know that I do not start a project if there is any thought that I will not be able to do it correctly, or do it the way I want it done.  Or I will start something and never finish it.  Typically type A personalities. I took a couple of quizzes and was solidly type/perfectionist in every single one.  

Part of the problem with being type A - is that you have no room to fail. No room to experiment. You increase your stress by being hard on yourself. And placing unattainable expectations on yourself.  Here is the pot calling the kettle black - I KNOW what I NEED to do - but since I can never do it correctly - I don't do it at all.  Self defeating, I know.  

So, in the meantime I am trying to learn how to be an excellencist.  The best I can be (without joining the Army). Excellent in His eyes.  A type J for Jesus.