The Peaceful Pursuit of Perfection
The comparison game is dangerous.
That’s what “they” say, anyway. Do you agree?
The result is often shame, guilt, depression, and a feeling of being less-than (inward focus)…
…OR envy, jealousy, bitterness, and a desire to act destructively toward others (outward focus)…
…OR it can come from the other direction leading to pride, arrogance, and a better-than mindset.
In cases like this, yes, ‘tis a dangerous game.
But, if we take a more altruistic approach – say, the pursuit of a consistent state of personal / professional / organizational / societal improvement – might there be a healthier way to use comparison – as a tool for growth?
I propose that comparison’s negative reputation has more to do with who we compare ourselves to (and the spirit contained within) than the act of comparison itself.
As leaders, let’s not overreact by throwing the baby out with the bathwater!
As frequent readers know, I am a basketball official, and we would be hard-pressed to find a stronger example of unhealthy comparison.
There are at least two contributing factors to this unfortunate reality.
Factor No. 1: Let’s call it like it is. In the officiating game, the unspoken expectation is perfection.
And when that expectation is not met, we are judged. Harshly.
When we make a “bad” call – and we will – we are almost immediately labeled a “bad” (terrible, incompetent, blind, in-over-your-head, worst-I-have-ever seen) official.
No mercy exists in this arena.
Sadly, fans, coaches, and in some cases even players have made official bashing a sport of its own.
Here’s the rub, though: Perfection does not exist anywhere on this earth. It is an unattainable standard.
This is especially true in the context of a live sporting event.
The absolute best officials on the planet still make mistakes (as do the best players and coaches, by the way) – even in the biggest of games.
Factor No. 2: The definition of “perfection” is incredibly subjective.
In officiating, there is often consensus on a major missed call.
But even within our own community there can be stark disagreement on how certain plays should be called – because perspective and judgment are involved.
We all “see” things through the personally curated lens of our own experience.
Despite our best intentions and ongoing training, we are not machines with singular programming.
As professional and consistent as we aim to be, personal bias is always involved.
This inescapable reality makes one person’s view of “perfection” different from another’s.
At the end of the day, we don’t objectively compare others to “perfect” – we subjectively compare them to our personal version of “perfect,” which is the way we would have done it, of course. 😉
Because of these two factors (and likely more), tearing someone down in their inability to be perfect is an unhealthy, counterproductive game.
And yet, I would argue that perfection remains not only the ultimate goal, but the healthier comparison tool.
There is more to this than I have time to get into here (see resources section below), but I believe difficulties arise when we use the tool of comparison in relation to others.
In that game, someone is always better and the other is always worse.
We end up comparatively happy with the former and unhappy with the latter.
This naturally leads to the negative emotions and actions noted above.
But if we compare ourselves to perfection – something we have accepted to be both ultimately unattainable and worthy of our pursuit – we are given the opportunity to reframe our position in terms of “progress and milestones” rather than “better or worse than.”
With such a reframe, we can confidently and positively say, “I am certainly not perfect, and I never will be. But in my consistent pursuit of perfection, I can be better than I was yesterday.”
The pursuit of perfection is meant to be a consistent call to a better tomorrow rather than a destructive criticism of today’s faults.
And I would argue that the better we get in wrestling with this reframe, the more peaceful our pursuit can be.
It doesn’t have to be frantic, or angry, or panicked, or draining.
The Peaceful Pursuit of Perfection can be hopeful, encouraging, energizing, and assuring.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
Compare yourself to the more perfect version of you, and then get after the process of becoming that more perfect version each and every day with a growing sense of peace and confidence.
This is our responsibility as conscientious, intentional, off-the-map, purpose-driven leaders.
Blessings to you, my friends!
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This Week’s Resource Recommendations (x2!):
Faith Driven Entrepreneur Watch Party
Connect Church in Washington, IL and elsewhere
For too long, the life of faith has been seen as a weakness in the business world when it’s actually our greatest strength. Being a Faith Driven Entrepreneur means trading up from a life of constant striving. It means you play on the winning team. That you are part of a legacy, a movement of others around the world and throughout history who have found innovative ways to push back darkness.
Our meaning isn’t found in what the world tells us is valuable. We find significance in surrender, and in that surrender, we find the freedom to take big risks, do great work, and compete in the marketplace. This event will help entrepreneurs navigate the path to surrender and significance as we hear from innovative leaders like Lecrae, Derwin Gray, David Platt, and David Kinnaman plus stories of entrepreneurs from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the U.S.
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“Peaceful Pursuit” & “Peaces of the Puzzle”
a short audio sermon series from Ken Stewart
Earlier this year I delivered a short two-week series that looked at a biblical perspective on The Peaceful Pursuit of Perfection.
No flash. No extra production. But if you were wondering if today’s MMS topic was founded in scripture, go for a walk/run, and take a listen. And if you have any feedback for me, I would consider it a contribution to my own peaceful pursuit. Thanks in advance!
MMS 24-11
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Blessings to you, my friend!
