My pursuit of perfection

For those who know me best, I’ve always had a desire to pursue perfection. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Legos. Every kit that I would get, I would admire the picture on the box of the finished product and I would follow the directions very carefully to imitate the end product that I would see. I would often place a block in the wrong place, but only realize it when I was already half a dozen steps past my mistake. I would get frustrated. I would unravel my progress. I’d obsess over where I went wrong and why. There was no greater feeling than discovering my mistake, fixing it, and continuing on to build my masterpiece. 

My pursuit of perfection carried into my teenage years where I would obsess over getting perfect grades in school. I would kick myself whenever I’d get a B on a test. I equated my accomplishments (or what I didn’t accomplish) with my value as a person. I never wanted to get in trouble by my parents, so I would do my best to be a perfect son. This mentality continued into my dating life where I would want to be a perfect boyfriend, give the best gifts, and be everything my girlfriend wanted me to be. 

You see, in my constant pursuit of perfection, I would often forget that my value and worth is not determined by becoming perfect. Let me be clear, there’s nothing wrong with pursuing perfection, but it can not be an end goal because it’s impossible to achieve. There’s a difference between pursuing perfection and being perfect. 

Pursuing perfection involves daily discipline, humility, and a deep desire for excellence in all things. Being perfect is a state of being that is subjective and involves being all things for everyone – not going to happen. 

It took me a long time to learn that being imperfect is perfectly okay. But my pursuit of perfection continues.

Why you ask? Because I believe that deep within all of us is a call to greatness. It starts with asking yourself, “What am I capable of?” It’s simply out of curiosity of what I can achieve that motivates me to dig deep, push myself to the limit, and grow. 

As a husband and father, I challenge myself to make sure the needs of my wife and the needs of our daughter are met every day. As a marketer, I challenge myself to learn something new every day and practice the skills it takes to succeed in this industry. As a Christian, I challenge myself to love the way that Jesus loved. 

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about doing the things that build character, develop fortitude, and lead to a fruitful life. I believe there’s a reason that we all have a longing to live lives of significance. When we’re all at our best, the world is at it’s best. And when the world is at it’s best, there’s a synergy that leads to prosperity and peace for all.

Of course, this is an idyllic perspective, but that’s the point. Everyone wants someone else to fix all of the problems in the world, but the reality is that it’s in our collective best interest to strive to perfect ourselves before we turn to the world. 

Easier said than done, I know. But I’ve seen this mentality manifest into great blessings in my life. Just to name a few:

  • I got my first job at a burger restaurant when I was 17. I showed up on time every day, ready to work, just wanting to be a good employee and I became general manager of the restaurant when I was 19. 
  • I always knew that I wanted to get married young and start a family. But before then, I had a lot of growing up to do so I learned how to take responsibility for my actions and work hard. I got married at 24 and we had our daughter when I was 26. 
  • Ark is a company that formed organically only after I proved that I had the grit to deliver quality, remain teachable, and take risks. 

Perfection is not about an end-goal, but a process that teaches us more about ourselves on the journey. So yes, I will continue to pursue perfection even though I will never get there because it’s not about me. It’s about making an impact in the world by offering the world the best version of myself. 

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