Have you ever spent hours on a school project, changing the font a dozen times or rewriting the same sentence over and over, trying to get it perfect? Or maybe you've avoided starting a new hobby, like learning guitar or painting, because you’re afraid you won’t be good at it right away. This endless chase for flawlessness is called perfectionism, and it can feel like a noble goal. After all, who doesn’t want to produce their best work? But what if this pursuit of perfection is actually holding you back?

There is a more powerful, healthier, and ultimately more successful way to approach your goals: chasing progress. Instead of aiming for an impossible standard of perfection, focusing on making small, steady improvements can unlock your true potential and lead to incredible achievements. It’s about celebrating the journey, not just the destination.

The Problem with Perfection

Perfectionism sounds like a good thing, but it often wears a disguise. Underneath, it’s usually fueled by a fear of failure or judgment. This fear can be paralyzing. When the bar is set at "perfect," any outcome that falls short can feel like a complete failure. This mindset creates a lot of unnecessary pressure and anxiety.

Here’s what often happens when we chase perfection:

  • We Don’t Start: The thought of not being able to do something perfectly from the beginning can be so intimidating that we never even start. That blank page stays blank, and that new instrument gathers dust.
  • We Don’t Finish: Perfectionists are famous for getting stuck in the details. They might get 90% of a project done but spend endless hours agonizing over the final 10%, sometimes never finishing at all.
  • We Miss Out on Learning: Mistakes are some of our greatest teachers. When we are too afraid to make them, we rob ourselves of valuable opportunities to learn, adapt, and grow.

Chasing perfection creates a cycle of procrastination and self-criticism. It can drain your motivation and make even activities you once loved feel like a burden.

The Power of Progress

Now, let's flip the script and look at what happens when you focus on progress. The progress mindset is all about forward motion, no matter how small. It’s about being better today than you were yesterday. This approach completely changes the game by making your goals feel more achievable and the process more enjoyable.

Imagine you want to learn to draw. A perfectionist might buy the best pencils and paper but be too afraid to make a mark for fear of it not looking like a masterpiece. Someone focused on progress would grab any pencil and paper and just start doodling. The first drawing might be shaky and out of proportion, but it’s a start. The next day, they try again, and it’s a little bit better. Each small effort is a win, building confidence and momentum. This is the "get 1% better every day" philosophy. These tiny improvements might seem insignificant on their own, but over time, they compound into massive growth.

From Fear to Freedom

One of the best things about prioritizing progress is that it frees you from the fear of failure. When your goal is simply to move forward, every step is a success. Messing up is no longer a catastrophe; it’s simply part of the process. You tried something, it didn’t work, and now you have more information for your next attempt.

This freedom allows you to be more creative and take more risks. You can experiment with new ideas without worrying about whether they will be perfect. Some of the greatest inventions and artistic creations came from happy accidents and a willingness to play and make mistakes. When you are not afraid to be imperfect, you open yourself up to a world of new possibilities.

How to Start Chasing Progress Today

Shifting your mindset from perfection to progress is a skill you can build with practice. It starts with being kinder to yourself and celebrating your efforts, not just your results.

Here are a few ways to embrace the progress mindset:

  • Break It Down: Take your big, scary goal and break it into the smallest possible steps. If you want to write a story, your goal for today could be as simple as writing one sentence. Celebrate that win!
  • Set a Timer: Instead of focusing on finishing a task perfectly, focus on working on it for a set amount of time. Try working on something for just 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, you can be proud of the effort you put in, regardless of the outcome.
  • Track Your Efforts: Keep a journal or a log of your progress. When you feel discouraged, you can look back and see how far you've come. Seeing your journey visually can be a huge motivator.
  • Embrace "Good Enough": Give yourself permission for things to be "good enough" instead of perfect. Finishing a project and moving on is often much better than getting stuck trying to achieve an impossible standard.