I am by nature a bit of a perfectionist and have worked diligently over the years to overcome this flaw of temperament. Though I have not yet “arrived” I believe I have come a long way towards breaking the habit of going to extremes in this area of my life. Being married to “Mr. Attitude” has certainly helped, since he has taught me the difference between striving for perfection and striving for excellence.

One of the things striving for perfection does is robs us of the joy that comes from trying something new. When we are set on having a “perfect” outcome we can become so paralyzed by a fear of failing that we won’t risk venturing out of our comfort zones and we are defeated before we can even begin.

On the other hand, striving for excellence frees us from the need to perform perfectly and we get to experience a joy that comes from venturing into unknown territory. Aiming for excellence gives us a determination to keep trying until we get it right. We can try and fail, and then try and fail again as often as it takes to achieve our very best.

As long as we keep trying, even when we make mistakes, we can rejoice in the fact that we’re learning and growing along the way. Reaching perfection in this life is impossible, but attaining excellence is not only possible, it is also stimulating and very rewarding.