Page 8 - March April 2015

Spirit in Business
by Aimèe Lyndon-Adams and Karen Halseth
Have you ever experienced having the lyrics of a song stuck in your head? For days now, I have been walking around with a song playing over and over. Finally, I paid close attention to what was being said and realized how appropriate it was!
This is from the song Masterpiece by Jessie J:
“I still fall on my face sometimes, and I can’t color inside the lines, cause; I’m perfectly incomplete I’m still working on my masterpiece”
How often do we relax into being perfectly incomplete? I believe the opposite is more often true; many are in hot pursuit of perfection in their life and business.
Most of you pursue perfection to some degree - doing the best
job you can, setting goals and working hard to reach them, and maintaining high standards. But perfectionism isn’t about any
of this. Perfectionism is a long, maddening drive down a never- ending road for flawlessness; it provides no rest stops for mistakes, personal limitations, or for changing your mind.
Perfectionism can cause feelings of anxiety, fear, and self-doubt; it can cripple self-esteem, stifle creativity, and put a stumbling block in the way of intimate friendships and love relationships. Everybody has some “built-in” perfectionism, especially in our achievement-oriented, competitive culture.
For me, focusing on being perfect kept me uptight, unhappy and unable to celebrate my accomplishments big or small. Over the years I have learned to celebrate not being perfect. What a relief!
Complete this questionnaire to discover how much of a perfectionist you are. (You may notice that some behaviors are very present while others you engaged in more in the past.)
Y/N I never do anything halfway; it’s all or nothing for me.
Y/N I believe there’s a certain way to do things and they should always be done that way.
Y/N I often procrastinate on starting projects. I seldom meet deadlines, or if I do I kill myself meeting them.
Y/N I don’t like to admit not knowing how to do something or to being a beginner. If I can’t do something well, I
Y/N People say I expect too much of myself, or of them.
Y/N I don’t think work should be too much fun or pleasurable.
Y/N Even when I accomplish something, I can feel let down or empty.
Y/N I criticize myself, and others, often.
Y/N I like to be in control; if I can’t be in control then I won’t participate.
Y/N No matter how much I have done, there’s always the weight of more I could do.
Y/N I don’t delegate often and when I do, I always double- check to make sure the job is done right.
There is a difference between excellence and perfection. Striving to be really good is excellence; trying to be flawless is perfectionism. I invite you to begin celebrating all the places that you are perfectly incomplete, remember, you will always be working on your Masterpiece.
If you’re concerned about your perfectionist behavior, don’t hesitate to call! We can support you. Email info@ whattrulymatters.com we want to hear from YOU.
Happily and perfectly incomplete, Karen
Through their company, What Truly Matters, Karen and Aimee offer Business Mentoring and Strategic Business Rejuvenation. They work with small groups and private clients
If you would like to:
• Grow your business expertise without sacrificing your soul
• Expand your network with like-minded professionals
• Experience the success and fulfillment of living a meaningful life,
go to www.whattrulymatters.com to request a private consultation session.
8 won’t do it. www.thewaveholisticjournal.com