Have you ever started on an idea you thought was great, then changed your mind and the first draft found itself in the bin. Then the process continued and more and more drafts followed. It is said that we are our own worst critics. Even before an article or book has landed in the hands of an editor, we imagine the worst possible scenario. We remember the mistakes and our heads spin over the many changes we could have made. We imagine the disaster before it has happened.

Relentless perfectionism can be a powerful driving force, yet it could be the very thing that can break you. When we are constantly discouraging ourselves and always working harder to be better, without taking breaks or cutting ourselves some slack, everything turns into a race and the lack of contentment becomes a definite source of frustration. How then can the ways of a perfectionist be changed?

Remember that becoming an expert is a journey, it takes time. Every expert I have met says the same thing, “It takes practice.” As you begin, you are bound to make mistakes along the way, but the beauty of it all is that you do not remain in the same spot. The more you work on your craft, the better you become. Sometimes you can even notice a trend with established authors as you compare their first ever published works with their latest ones.

Remember that you are human and you are bound to make mistakes. The biggest killer of fun and joy is fear. Perfection in itself is a fear of failure. The more you fear to fail, the less joy you obtain from your work. Remember the times that the stakes were not so high and you could be creative, even if that meant you made some errors? Those wonderful days when mistakes did not matter as much and what really mattered was exploration and imagination? Those days need to come back. Pushing yourself daily without passion can only take you so far. The fun needs to be brought back for the sake of remaining creative.

Reflect on what you love about your piece. In fact, if possible, write down all the reasons you think your book or article stands out and before you move on to critiquing, remember these points. An ideal piece is almost usually non-existent. Different readers want different things from a book. Even as you remain professional and make sure that your writing is engaging, always remember that the audience is different and some people are bound to dislike your work, regardless of how good you are.

Laugh at your failures and do not take the criticism too hard. Obstacles are part of the journey and, however talented you are, you will hit some roadblocks. Learn to pick yourself up and move on despite the difficulties. Perfectionists have a high intolerance to failure which makes it harder for them to move forward when things do not go their way. Being realistic and countering your negative thoughts will save you a great deal. All the best!