This #MakeItHappenMonday, let’s shake off the shackles of perfectionism that all-too-often stifle our creative spirits. In the arts, chasing perfection is not only elusive but downright obstructive. There is no such thing as perfection in art. Instead, let’s aim for excellence—a much more rewarding and achievable goal.

The Perils of Perfectionism in Performance

In the world of performing arts, the concept of perfection can be particularly crippling. According to insights from Jim Kwik’s Limitless, and echoed by Hara Estroff Marano, former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today, perfectionism curtails creativity and innovation. It fosters a harmful focus on avoiding negative evaluations, trapping artists in a cycle of endless self-criticism. This constant self-judgement can lead to frustration, anxiety, and even depression—all of which hinder your ability to express yourself freely and limit your artistic potential. We should always strive for excellence over perfection.

Transitioning to Excellence

Moving from the pursuit of perfection to striving for excellence involves changing how we view our performances and growth. Excellence allows for imperfections and views them as essential aspects of the creative process. It’s about pushing just beyond your comfort zones—where real artistic growth happens.

Why Comfort Zones Need to be Challenged

In performance art, your comfort zone might be sticking to techniques you’ve mastered or roles that feel safe. However, true artistic growth occurs just outside this safe space. When you dare to step beyond, you might stumble, but these moments are invaluable for learning and evolving. Each mistake is a lesson, not a failure.

Practical Tips to Overcome Perfectionism:

1. Set Realistic Artistic Goals Challenge yourself with new roles or techniques that encourage you to stretch your abilities without the pressure to perfect them on the first try.
2. Celebrate All Progress Every rehearsal, every performance is a step forward. Celebrate the moments of breakthrough as well as the attempts, regardless of the outcome.
3. Constructive Self-Reflection After performances, focus on what you’ve learned. How have you grown? What can be fine-tuned? Use these insights to enrich your next performance.
4. Embrace Feedback Over Validation Constructive criticism is a goldmine for performers. It guides your growth far more than applause. Seek out feedback that challenges and builds your skills.
5. Stay Present and Mindful During practice and performance, focus on the moment. Being fully present helps you engage more deeply with your material and your audience.

Your #MakeItHappenMonday Call-to-Action:

This week, choose one aspect of your performance that you’ve avoided improving because it didn’t feel “perfect” enough. Work on it, present it, explore it. Share what you learn with peers or a mentor and notice how freeing it feels to move beyond perfectionism.

Let’s Connect!

What’s one area where you’ve let go of perfectionism recently? Share your stories in our community discussion and inspire others with your journey toward embracing excellence.

Here’s to a week filled with genuine expression and artistic breakthroughs. Let excellence be your guide, not perfection.