Swaroop Says: The disease of inactivity : perfectionism and procrastination

Swaroop Sampat

Which got me reading this line by Richie Norton… Perfectionism is a disease, procrastination is a disease, while action is the cure. – Richie Norton This speaks to a profound truth of the human mind. Perfectionism and procrastination are two seemingly opposite tendencies, but in reality, the two are very close, often creating a vicious cycle that can paralyze a person's thinking, preventing them from realizing their potential and accomplishing their goals. This so-called paralysis is not visible on the outside, but it wreaks havoc on the sufferers inside, taking away the joy of the creative process and dampening aspirations. Perfectionism is a trap of unattainable standards; The constant pursuit of perfection may seem good on the surface, but it is often mistaken for a high standard or dedication to excellence. Indeed, it is a double-edged sword. Perfectionism is not just a desire to do well; It is an all or nothing mentality. My sister is a talented painter. It had the ability to project light onto the canvas. An ability similar to that of great painters. Yet he spent years perfecting a series of paintings. She would pay attention to each shade, reworking the same canvas up to that point. Seeing which often seemed excessive. Because of this fixation, he left almost a dozen paintings unfinished. Before completing those paintings, I thought they were 'incomplete'. Thus, perfectionism also creates self-doubt. Let me give an example. I once had a professor with me, who was constantly putting up with his research papers. Constantly believed that papers needed to be more organized before submission. As a result, he missed several deadlines and ultimately lost the opportunity to publish his papers. The results of perfectionism are obvious. This led to anxiety, feelings of inadequacy and, in many cases, further depression. Constantly falling behind, resulting in never reaching the goal, perfectionists find themselves in constant editing and alternative guesswork. Procrastination, the intense neglect of necessary tasks, is another great malady. Unlike perfectionism, procrastination is often rooted in fear or an overwhelming sense of the task ahead. My friend Suresh once came up with a good business idea. An innovative app concept that fills a necessary gap in the market. Suresh spent months in 'preparation' to launch this app. Researched competitors, collected data and planned features. But it didn't take the crucial step of actually making a prototype. He was always 'almost ready', but never quite. Fear of failure kept him stuck in research mode. Finally another company launched a similar app, leaving him regretting that he couldn't do anything himself. In college I often got so many assignments that I got bored. I kept convincing my mind that 'I will start from tomorrow.' Finally when the next day when the day of submission came the stress would rise. Rushed work was always below my level, which resulted in me doubting myself, my ability, and resulting in starting work too late. However, as Richie Norton has written, there is also a cure – action. Action is an incredible antidote. The power of action lies in its simplicity and it keeps fear under control. Sara's art became more expressive when she decided to ignore the 'perfect' blue sky in her paintings and began to paint whatever color pleased me. It did not change his art, but it definitely changed his creativity. He began to find a unique joy in creation, imperfection and all. Action is not just about getting things done. It is also about growth, learning and accepting failure as part of the process. If only Suresh had taken the initiative to launch his app! As such being a simple prototype. Tasks can be progressed by phasing them or simply seeing what work needs to be done next. Let us step out of the comfort zone and step into the world. Whenever we feel indecisive, if we remember Norton's words, our lives can become less stressful and more certain. There is no need to dictate the path through perfectionism and procrastination. Instead, what if we initiate change, accepting action and rewriting it, even if it's incomplete? Let's start today. Not with big and grand goals, but with small, firm steps. Whether we want to pick up a brush, write a sentence with a pen, or start working towards fulfilling a long-cherished dream! It is to remember that action is the cure and these steps may be imperfect, but by filling them we move toward a life full of possibility.}