“At its root, perfectionism isn’t really about a deep love of being meticulous. It’s about fear. Fear of making a mistake. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of failure. Fear of success.” ― Michael Law

There is such a thing as being afraid to succeed and it's not talked about as much as being afraid to fail but it is just as important to note. Fear of failure is easy to figure out and easy to dispel, all it takes is a better understanding of who we are and what we want in life. We can find people with similar stories to ours, who went above and beyond, and reached new heights in life. We can see these people and know that it is possible for us.

But what if we can see that it's possible and it scares the crap out of us?

Deep down we know if we can do the things we're striving for. We can write that book that we have been thinking about for years or start that business we have been meticulously planning for months but, why don't we?

If we can see the end goal why are we spending days picking out the right color of sticky notes we will use in our office or the perfect name for our blog post?

At the root of perfectionism is a fear of succeeding.

As long as we are making things "just right" we can put off seeing results. With results comes the very real realization that we can actually do it. But who will we be when get there?

Failure is easy to picture. You can see the looks of disappointment, the bills stacking up, and the foreclosure signs. With failure you can see a life that is worse than where you are now.

With success you see a life you may have never experienced. With success comes expectations. With success you get to be you. Sometimes we get scared to be ourselves.

Many people fear losing themselves and becoming someone they wont like if they happen to start making a lot of money. Some people fear that their friends and family will try to take advantage of their hard-work. Some people fear that they wont live up to the person in their successful position.

So it's easier to do the busy work. It's easier to keep telling people that you are just waiting for the right time because that way you can put off the "what if".

This world is filled with people who do just that.

Can you tell the difference between a person who failed and a person who could have won?

Nope.

In 20 years it wont matter how perfect your notes are if you never used them. In 20 years it wont matter how many books you read if you never shared what you learned with the world.

Life doesn't' wait for perfection and it can't tell between a person who was meant for greatness and one who wasn't. We control the greatness we become.

So let go of the need for perfection because it's not helping you live.

Take action. Pick up your pen and start writing. Start talking to people. Make mistakes.

and live.

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