Comments on: How to Outsmart Perfectionism http://reptitude.com/how-to-tips/how-to-outsmart-perfectionism/ when being creative is like herding cats Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:50:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Barbara Martin http://reptitude.com/how-to-tips/how-to-outsmart-perfectionism/comment-page-1/#comment-1491 Barbara Martin Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:53:42 +0000 http://reptitude.com/?p=560#comment-1491 @Pace -- yes, that is one version of perfectionistic, in my mind that's the kind where we chase an everdiminishing yet infinite path toward the goal of true perfect, which of course we can never reach, so at that realization, we must continue tweaking and tweaking and tweaking but be forever frustrated! And the piece is never ever "complete".... and you have a great way to avoid it! @writingready hey thanks! Maisel has written a number of books on creativity. @Pace — yes, that is one version of perfectionistic, in my mind that’s the kind where we chase an everdiminishing yet infinite path toward the goal of true perfect, which of course we can never reach, so at that realization, we must continue tweaking and tweaking and tweaking but be forever frustrated! And the piece is never ever “complete”…. and you have a great way to avoid it!

@writingready hey thanks! Maisel has written a number of books on creativity.

]]> By: writingreading http://reptitude.com/how-to-tips/how-to-outsmart-perfectionism/comment-page-1/#comment-1490 writingreading Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:51:40 +0000 http://reptitude.com/?p=560#comment-1490 Wow - I love this post! I am definitely going to have to come back and explore some more. That advice about "To edit, you must have a first draft" is perfect. Thanks for this info. Sounds like a fabulous book! I will be back! Wow – I love this post! I am definitely going to have to come back and explore some more. That advice about “To edit, you must have a first draft” is perfect. Thanks for this info. Sounds like a fabulous book! I will be back!

]]> By: Pace http://reptitude.com/how-to-tips/how-to-outsmart-perfectionism/comment-page-1/#comment-1485 Pace Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:19:14 +0000 http://reptitude.com/?p=560#comment-1485 One thing that helps me avoid perfectionism is to remember <a href="http://usualerror.com/e-book/the-usual-error/" rel="nofollow">the usual error</a>. What I think is perfect is not necessarily what other people will think is perfect. So I'm spending all this time making my work Pace-perfect, but that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with whether it will be Barbara-perfect or Joe-perfect or Trish-perfect. Remembering the usual error helps me realize that once I've made something Pace-good or Pace-great, there's no point in refining it further without feedback from others, because any further refinements will be me-specific. One thing that helps me avoid perfectionism is to remember the usual error. What I think is perfect is not necessarily what other people will think is perfect. So I’m spending all this time making my work Pace-perfect, but that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with whether it will be Barbara-perfect or Joe-perfect or Trish-perfect. Remembering the usual error helps me realize that once I’ve made something Pace-good or Pace-great, there’s no point in refining it further without feedback from others, because any further refinements will be me-specific.

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