Perfection simply isnt how you should measure success.
This post originally appeared onThe Conversation.
It was Voltaire who said: perfect is the enemy of the goodand he should know.
It is only by these failures that Candide is painfully cured of his obsession with perfection.
Fast forward a couple of centuries and the lessons learned by Candide remain relevant today.
We live in a world dominated by the pursuit of perfection.
Yet, as Candide discovered, there is an inherent flaw in this logic.
For perfection is a standard which can never be attained and ultimately offers allbut miseryfor those who try.
These are all defining characteristics of a perfectionist.
We recentlyconducted researchthat found perfectionism is closely linked with burnout.
Work is typically performance-focusedand poor performance carries significant costs which, in the worst case, result inredundancy.
Organizations must therefore be clear that perfection is not a criteria of success.
Instead, diligence, flexibility and perseverance are far better qualities than perfectionism.
Inevitably these goals will be lower than perfectionists would likebut perfectionists need protection from themselves.
Otherwise, workaholism, burnoutand even worseawaits.
As a society we tend to hold up perfectionism as a sign of virtue, of achievement.
Yet the story of Candide is revealing; perfection is as elusive as it is captivating.
A focus on flawlessness is ultimately self-defeating, and our research points a sharp spotlight on this fact.
But, as a society, we too bear a responsibility to challenge this undesirable trait.
Andrew Hill is the Head of Taught Postgraduate Programmes, York St John University.
Image bySuat Gursozlu(Shutterstock).
