Why You Never Want to Be Perfect

“Practice will never make you perfect. Why should it? What fun would that be?”

I love this quote from Stephen King, one of the most prolific and best-selling authors of all time.

I love it because it speaks to a philosophy I’ve been talking about for some time: the idea that the pursuit of excellence is about the journey, and if you’re doing it right, there really is no final destination.

I love it because it says that achieving absolute perfection, where no further growth is possible, would be unsatisfying for anyone who really takes inspiration from the pursuit of excellence.

I love it because it reminds us that getting hung up on the idea of perfection can be a barrier, not a catalyst, to real achievement. In fact, the idea of not being able to reach perfection keeps many people from ever even trying.

I love it because it recognizes an essential and often overlooked component to creating real success: having fun. You’ve got to love the process — that’s what keeps you going.

It’s no secret that the people around us who seem to be getting the most from life are intensely driven and hold themselves to high standards. They want to win. They strive to improve every day.

But they know they’ll never achieve ultimate perfection. And they wouldn’t want it any other way.