“You are a perfectionist and because of that you are concerned about making mistakes so you painstakingly do every task to your best ability and stress even afterward that it is done right. Is that about it? Being a perfectionist isn’t something you see as being a perfectionist; you see it as doing your job to the best of your ability and worrying that you have not done it well enough or worrying about how it affects others.”--Shelley
I have never thought of myself as a perfectionist, but I see it now when defined in this way. Due to the negative view the world has of this characteristic, I think it has taken me a couple of days to come to grips with the accuracy of the label.
I am a perfectionist.
If I cannot do something well (for example, straighten the house) because I don't have the time to do it well, I usually won't do it. I'd prefer to let my room and house look messy for months than to do a shoddy job. Now that I know the term for this I think I can work with it for the benefit of me and others.
God does not expect perfection from me, so why should I expect it from myself. He just wants us to act and live in a manner pleasing to Him and allow our imperfections to be opportunities for His glory to shine. By trying to do things perfectly, I am hindering His opportunities for glory. With that said, I guess I should go straighten the house for as long as I can stay focused on that task.
