I Quit Trying To Be Perfect

I am a quitter, and I’m better for it.

We are told if you quit you are weak. Giving up is a sign of losing.

I disagree!

I quit trying to be perfect.

Sitting outside a baseball clubhouse, I often see the agony of defeat. These reactions even happen on days when the team wins. My husband has been a coach in professional baseball for over 30 years. We have seen a lot of players come and go.

I have also raised three very athletic boys who have a combined competition rating of 200%. Their dad and I don’t know any other level, and neither do they.

“The agony of defeat I see over and over isn’t one of the teams wins and losses, but of not performing flawlessly.”

The agony of defeat I see over and over isn’t one of the teams wins and losses, but of not performing flawlessly. It is a self-focused, self-deprecating and self-sabotaging recipe for failure.

The more a player mentally removes themselves from a team, the worse their thoughts take them down a path of poor play. The negative thoughts keep the player spiraling down instead of stepping forward.

How do we do that when we want to be the best at whatever we are doing?

We quit trying to be perfect!

Review your day of play but don’t stay focused on the personal results. See the positive effect you had on your team.

Let go of anger toward your performance. Did you help someone else?

Forgive yourself for any adverse reactions.

Listen to others.

Be open to change.

Keep the team your focus. If you can help the team be better, you will be the best player you can be.

Don’t go for perfection. Strive for improvement.

Quitting perfection isn’t resigning to a life of mediocrity but committing to a future of success building. A better me.

So quit!

Quit striving for perfection and aim at being better. Better than before. Better than yesterday. Embrace change and grow.