How Engineers Can Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

I’d brand myself as a recovering perfectionist.?

I used to think if I didn’t do everything right, then I was a failure. That shame was… unhelpful.

Along the way I’ve been working on focusing on the progress I’m making and enjoying the journey of improvement rather than finding my value in my results.

I invite you on the journey with me!

Commit to the Process

The process of mindset and behavior change will take mindful effort and won't be free of bumps. It's normal to fall back into old patterns associated with your former mindsets. In fact, knowing that you've fallen back, and knowing how you can get going again, is a sign of progress!

Again, you are looking for progress, not perfection. We all slip into negative mindsets sometimes—it is impossible to be perfect. This news may be hard for you to handle if you're a recovering perfectionist like me, but it's true.

Brené Brown beautifully describes the limitations of perfectionism in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection:?

Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgment, and

shame. It’s a shield. Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from taking flight.

So commit to the process of growth, not to perfection at all costs.

Healthy Striving

Rather than perfection, we want to aim for healthy striving. It’s good to work hard to improve and to have high expectations of yourself. But additionally, you must give yourself grace and self-compassion as you work each day to move towards improved mindsets, living your core values, and building relationships. Be patient with yourself if you don’t progress as fast as you would like to.

Do your best, and recognize that your best is different each day. If you mess up or fall back a bit? That’s okay. Congratulations, you’re human! We all do it.

Becoming the person you want to be is a process, but one that I hope you enjoy even as you work through challenges along the way. You're giving yourself a gift as you progress on this journey.

Take Intentional Action

Identify one thing you’ve been hard on yourself about. It could be work, personal, family, or fitness related.

Instead of identifying all the things you’re doing wrong in that area, spend 60 seconds just writing down any progress, wins, or progressive action you have taken.

Recognize that you have made progress. Then, identify ways you can make more.

Progress, not perfection!

Accelerate Your Progress

This newsletter is an adapted excerpt from my new book, The Intentional Engineer. It was written just for intentional engineers like you. Go grab your own copy today at: https://amzn.to/3u6bJF2