I was recently involved in a LinkedIn discussion with a young marketer/copywriter from Canada.
The issue concerned perfection.
The post said his marketing/copywriting was so good that he could offer his clients perfect solutions, outcomes, and revenues. I was intrigued.
So, I asked him a reasonable question – what are the subjective success criteria for perfection, as I would like those solutions, outcomes, and revenues for myself?
His first response was, to say the least, touchy and evasive. His definition was that ‘perfection should be self-evident.’ I was struggling with that because I didn’t know what he was talking about. If somebody disagrees that it isn't self-evident, then it's not perfect, is it?
So, I just asked him the same question again, because this guy is offering the earth.
Second answer – still not cutting the mustard and the tone becoming quite offensive. I was told I was trolling him and being offensive to this guy because we were in the same industry (which wasn't correct either). Then he said I was trying to be clever. (How dumb are the people you're trying to convince? I asked).
I offered him a scenario so that he could show us the power of his pen.
In 2017, the USA was politically divided, and the President was quite vocal on many contentious issues, including China, North Korea, and Supreme Court selections.
I asked him if he could be good enough to write material for the US President that would be so perfect, it would persuade the nation and unite the country and the world?
Needless to say, that wasn’t answered either.
From then on, the comments became more abusive. Apparently, I wasn't worthy of my place on the planet, despite having contributed to my country’s economy for the last 48 years. And people who want to get into arguments about perfection are just crotchety old farts.
This is a guy whose copywriting skills espouse perfection.
The upsetting thing for me as a speaker and a debater is that I learned most of what I know at McGill University, Toronto 45 years ago. The staff, professors, and peers were so welcoming and respectful. They made us feel like royalty. Sounds like education is in decline, although I like to imagine this is an isolated incident.
Why is perfection such a big deal for me?
Well, many of my students are perfectionists. They struggle, suffer, and exhaust themselves because they can never reach their goal. They tell themselves that they’re failures, useless, and a waste of space. But they’re not. It's just the wrong goal.
In my courses, I offer them some new tools to play with that bust perfection once and for all.
We observe and explore the subjective nature of life. We explode perfection in the context of subjective criteria. We deconstruct the issues that inhibit our authenticity and rebuild it on new foundations.
In a perverse way, I should be applauding this guy for continuing the ‘perfection’ narrative. These guys send me a rich vein of customers every month. However, I want the hype and the bull to stop because the pursuit of perfection in the subjective realm is damaging to individuals and their health. Watching people suffer is not great viewing.
If you’ve ever suffered from perfectionism, come along and let me know. I’ll get you off it, in a fun and caring way. There’s no need to hold back your potential.
