Perfectionism can stop you from getting things done.

As an ADHD Life Coach, I’m not perfect and I don’t accomplish perfection. Most days, “good enough” is the only way you or I are going to get anything done. Because if we demand perfection in every chore, every task, every accomplishment we set out to do, we’ll be overwhelmed and give up.

Often I hear from clients that they can’t begin a project because they imagine failure before they even get started. When I explore further, asking why they feel or think this way, I often hear that the results are not going to be perfect.

Yikes! Oh, man, you expect perfection from me? — I say in alarm. (Talk about pressure!)

No, they say. I expect perfection from myself.

AH! Well, here’s where I get up on my soapbox and pontificate:  “Perfect” is the enemy of accomplishment. Perfect doesn’t really exist. It’s fleeting, at  best. Dust, rust, toddlers, erosion, age, red wine—pick your own favorite form of entropy—will undo anything that ever was thought to be perfect. The best we can do is “darn good” or “good enough.”

Learning new habits, creating and maintaining systems, managing your time: none of this will ever be done to perfection. Papers may not be filed immediately. The bills might occasionally be paid late. You may not always know where your keys are. And you may still procrastinate about writing your website blog … (ahem!).

So what? You’re working on it. You aren’t quitting before you begin. You’re trying your best. You’re being kind to yourself…

Most days, that’s good enough.