Perfection is Unobtainable

In the 1996 RomCom, Tin Cup, Roy McAvoy speaks the truth about the golf swing as he gives his soon-to-be girlfriend her first golf lesson. As he poetically describes the unity of the hands with the grip and the spring-like coil of the body, he professes “Tempo is everything; perfection unobtainable as the body coils down at the top of the swing. Theres a slight hesitation. A little nod to the gods.” Molly questions, “A nod to the gods?” Roy replies, “Yeah, a nod to the gods. That he is fallible. That perfection is unobtainable.” Roy continues, “it’s alive, this swing, a living sculpture…such a pure feeling is the well-struck golf shot.”

To Roy’s point, perfection is a myth. As attorneys, we so often wear the “Perfectionist” label as a badge of honor. “I am a perfectionist. I expect my staff and myself to be perfect. My pleadings have to be perfect.” How often have you heard (or said) something similar? Pride in your work is not the same thing as Perfection. Zealously advocating for your client is not Perfection. Being overly critical of ourselves when we make a mistake is not Perfection. We will all make mistakes. That is part of the human experience.

Mistakes can be fun! I know, you think I’ve lost my mind, but really, they can be fun. What has the standard of Perfection stopped you from trying? Is there a something, like a hobby, creative outlet or even a different area of the law that you have been curious about but refused to try because you won’t be perfect at it when you begin? Embrace your mistakes. We learn so much from them. Practice does not make perfect! Practice makes progress! Mistakes are the journey of progress. Find the joy in that journey. Try something new and put down the idea that you have to be perfect. Have fun! Open yourself up to mistakes without judgment. I bet you get something beautiful in return.