Comments on: Perfectionism - a Creative and Artistic Straight-Jacket - and How to Escape it http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/ Personal development techniques for artists, writers, musicians, photographers... Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:09:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Andrew Leigh http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/#comment-21 Andrew Leigh Tue, 08 May 2007 11:47:16 +0000 http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/#comment-21 Just to add to this post. I met a couple of talented young silversmiths at Yorkshire Artspace this weekend. They had a slightly different take on the idea of perfectionism. For them it was important to achieve a level of flawlessness in their work and they both saw themselves as perfectionists. Having seen the work they produced (which looked perfect to me!) you can also see why the idea of perfection is a positive motivation for them. But in talking with these highly skilled people it was also true that the debilitating kind of perfectionism I discussed in my post would still be a problem if they suffered from it. They make mistakes - but in development stages, and again, there's no way to get to the level of skills they have achieved without embracing your mistakes. Just to add to this post. I met a couple of talented young silversmiths at Yorkshire Artspace this weekend. They had a slightly different take on the idea of perfectionism. For them it was important to achieve a level of flawlessness in their work and they both saw themselves as perfectionists. Having seen the work they produced (which looked perfect to me!) you can also see why the idea of perfection is a positive motivation for them.

But in talking with these highly skilled people it was also true that the debilitating kind of perfectionism I discussed in my post would still be a problem if they suffered from it. They make mistakes - but in development stages, and again, there’s no way to get to the level of skills they have achieved without embracing your mistakes.

]]> By: Sam Forsberg http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/#comment-33 Sam Forsberg Wed, 13 Jun 2007 10:56:05 +0000 http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/#comment-33 Funny then, how perfectionism only came up in my discussion with Andy this morning... I am at a point of conscious awareness of my Perfectionism straight-jacket in almost every area of my life. And I know in my head that I want to make another choice; yet I've been unsure in my instinct of how to do this - of what to replace this self-critical streak with. The introduction to the concept of Excellence feels like the right fit. That I can free myself to strive for excellence in a moment, and be satisfied with those achievements; knowing that the experience and growth resulting from it are taking me much further forward than the repeatedly unfulfilling and disheartenng steps towards a state of perfectionism that never quite gets reached. Thanks for this piece of the puzzle Andy! Sam :) Funny then, how perfectionism only came up in my discussion with Andy this morning…

I am at a point of conscious awareness of my Perfectionism straight-jacket in almost every area of my life. And I know in my head that I want to make another choice; yet I’ve been unsure in my instinct of how to do this - of what to replace this self-critical streak with.

The introduction to the concept of Excellence feels like the right fit. That I can free myself to strive for excellence in a moment, and be satisfied with those achievements; knowing that the experience and growth resulting from it are taking me much further forward than the repeatedly unfulfilling and disheartenng steps towards a state of perfectionism that never quite gets reached.

Thanks for this piece of the puzzle Andy!
Sam :)

]]> By: Andrew Leigh http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/#comment-36 Andrew Leigh Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:45:27 +0000 http://www.thecreativeinstinct.com/2007/04/27/perfectionism-a-creative-and-artistic-straight-jacket-and-how-to-escape-it/#comment-36 Thanks for the feedback Sam. The other key ingredient is being able to make friends with your mistakes - though not so much that you make them on purpose :-) . Feeling easy about your mistakes is so liberating. Thanks for the feedback Sam. The other key ingredient is being able to make friends with your mistakes - though not so much that you make them on purpose :-) . Feeling easy about your mistakes is so liberating.

]]>