Comments on: Perfectionism: Virtue or Vice? http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/ Virtual Assistant, Website Designer, and Blogger Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:37:41 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Janet Barclay http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/comment-page-1/#comment-700 Janet Barclay Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:38:41 +0000 http://www.janetbarclay.com/?p=796#comment-700 Margaret, thanks so much for sharing your post - I love your style! "While the pursuit of excellence invites us to experiment, fail, learn and improve, the pursuit of perfection raises the cost of failure to unbearable heights." Alex, thinking back to your recent post about students who procrastinate, for me it was always more important to meet the deadline than to submit a perfect paper. I used to get SO annoyed with students who waited until the last minute to get started, then had the nerve to ask for a deadline (especially since they usually got it)! I just wanted it DONE. Elaine, congratulations! I've only mentioned things like productivity and profitability, but happiness is much more important! Margaret, thanks so much for sharing your post – I love your style! “While the pursuit of excellence invites us to experiment, fail, learn and improve, the pursuit of perfection raises the cost of failure to unbearable heights.”

Alex, thinking back to your recent post about students who procrastinate, for me it was always more important to meet the deadline than to submit a perfect paper. I used to get SO annoyed with students who waited until the last minute to get started, then had the nerve to ask for a deadline (especially since they usually got it)! I just wanted it DONE.

Elaine, congratulations! I’ve only mentioned things like productivity and profitability, but happiness is much more important!

]]> By: elaineshannon http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/comment-page-1/#comment-699 elaineshannon Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:25:47 +0000 http://www.janetbarclay.com/?p=796#comment-699 Used to be....but not anymore. I love this post, good enough is good enough. As someone who works with people with perfectionist tendencies i learned that I was also stuck in the "getting it perfect" mode. I am much happier now that I can move on and be satisfied with a job well done...not a job perfectly done. Used to be….but not anymore.
I love this post, good enough is good enough. As someone who works with people with perfectionist tendencies i learned that I was also stuck in the “getting it perfect” mode. I am much happier now that I can move on and be satisfied with a job well done…not a job perfectly done.

]]> By: Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/comment-page-1/#comment-698 Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:54:25 +0000 http://www.janetbarclay.com/?p=796#comment-698 In some ways I'm totally not a perfectionist - details for example - I don't give a crap about details. However overall success/failure stuff and getting it right the first time? Totally. If I can't do it perfectly the first time I don't want to bother doing it at all. Fortunately I've learned how to mitigate these feelings and keep working anyway. PS The test confirmed that yes I'm a perfectionist... ;) In some ways I’m totally not a perfectionist – details for example – I don’t give a crap about details.

However overall success/failure stuff and getting it right the first time? Totally. If I can’t do it perfectly the first time I don’t want to bother doing it at all.

Fortunately I’ve learned how to mitigate these feelings and keep working anyway.

PS The test confirmed that yes I’m a perfectionist… ;)

]]> By: Margaret Lukens http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/comment-page-1/#comment-697 Margaret Lukens Wed, 04 Mar 2009 04:55:13 +0000 http://www.janetbarclay.com/?p=796#comment-697 Janet, I wrote a blog post on this subject last March: http://newleafnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/perfectly-awful/ True perfectionism is pure vice, and one that robs people of their joy in work. Diligence? Great substitute! Thanks for adding so many helpful insights to the conversation. Margaret Janet, I wrote a blog post on this subject last March:
http://newleafnews.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/perfectly-awful/
True perfectionism is pure vice, and one that robs people of their joy in work. Diligence? Great substitute!

Thanks for adding so many helpful insights to the conversation.

Margaret

]]> By: Janet Barclay http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/comment-page-1/#comment-695 Janet Barclay Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:20:47 +0000 http://www.janetbarclay.com/?p=796#comment-695 Jacki - that's a much better word! I may have to use that one myself! ;) Jacki – that’s a much better word! I may have to use that one myself! ;)

]]> By: Jacki Hollywood Brown http://janetbarclay.com/2009/03/03/perfectionism-virtue-or-vice/comment-page-1/#comment-694 Jacki Hollywood Brown Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:09:22 +0000 http://www.janetbarclay.com/?p=796#comment-694 I always describe myself as diligent. That way the client knows to expect, not perfect work, but excellent work in the time frame predicted. I always describe myself as diligent. That way the client knows to expect, not perfect work, but excellent work in the time frame predicted.

]]>