Perfection
Submitted by Malcolm on Fri, 01/18/2008 - 09:28.
A lot of people have mentioned how they always strive for perfection in their work and how this has reduced their productivity.
I have been told that my work is very detailed but don't feel that it is necessarily "perfect".
I do, though, always feel conscious that it may not be "good enough" so this may be the same thing.
I am going to try and put work in before I am entirely satisfied with it and see what the response is.
Has anyone adopted this approach and, if so, what has been the outcome?
Strive for Perfection
Hi
I can relate to your strive for perfection. I like to get things right, have things go well and be right. I try to be as detailed as possible. Sometimes I have difficulty with this for various reasons but I do strive to be perfect at work because from what I see it's the right thing to do. I know we can't be 100% perfect all the time but I feel better when things are perfect or at least close to it.
Many people at work tend to mention that I'm detailed and perfect in most of the things I do. Some people do admit that I have a strive for perfection but due to my fast speed I tend to be little less careful than I should and mistakes are noticed. It varies.
Perfection in the workplace
My problem is that I always want to do things right the first time, and that is not always easy when you are just starting out and learning.
Worrying Less
This is another important point.
Until the last 3/4 years i.e. until my mid-forties, I was always reticent/fearful about making mistakes as I was poor at coming to terms with the outcomes from a personal perspective.
Lately however, I have become adept at not only accepting that I will make mistakes but also very good at accepting the lessons internally that emanate from them. As a result, I have become a very good learner.
The key to this has been accepting that - like everyone else - I am going to make mistakes.
The difference has been accepting "also" that I mustn't feel guilty doing so as a result of there being something different - and therefore negative - about me as a consequence of my Asperger.
Its been one of the most "helpful" learning experiences that I have had! In fact far from fearing it, I now welcome it!!!!
As I read somewhere: the hardest lessons are the most beneficial.
fear of making mistakes
AS specialist Tony Attwood has commented on aspies' fear of making mistakes; it is a manifestation of social anxiety. We are well known for excessive sensitivity and reactivity to criticism. I certainly have been, over the couple of decades of my career.
On the issue of perfectionism, my emphasis has characteristically been objective perfection in my own material output, with no regard to pampering egos or diplomacy, in the typical Asperger manner - with predictable results.
Peter
north Queensland, Australia
Perfectionist Quote
I have just posted a quote from a French Philosopher on change.
I also came across this quote this week on perfectionsim so am visiting this subject again as I thought that, like the quote of change, it is highly applicable.
I don't know how others feel but when I see quotes like this it makes me feel much better and a lot more re-assured. Its as though it removes the sense of inferiority about these things that I sometimes feel from having AS, as it "normalises" issues!
"One of the most common (and pernicious) forms of obsessive behaviour and one that can interfere with true efficiency and productivity - is perfectionism. The illusion that we can do anything perfectly prevents some people from doing anything well at all."
I didn't save the source which I should have done - apologies.
Admitting Mistakes
I think one of the things that I have not done well in my career is being sufficiently willing to admit to making a mistake.
Its important not to do it too often of course - and best obviously to avoid them in the first place - but being open and up front when you do make an honest or genuine mistake can be as beneficial as not taking responsibility and avoiding doing so when need be.
It can also be anxiety-reducing insofar as it gets a worry off of ones' mind which, for someone with Asperger, can be hugely alleviating.
I'm not a fan of admitting mistakes
I do not like admitting mistakes either. I think the main reason for me is because I'm afraid of the consequences of me admitting the mistake and the punishment of it. There are times that I don't even know how to fix a mistake. I have made many mistakes during my work career. There are some which were fixed for me, some I had to do myself, some myself and others fixed and some which I fixed but still blew up in my face. There are a couple that no one knows about. What I dislike most is when a mistake is discovered a long time later. Then it becomes harder to fix, remember, admit to it or even face the consequences.
I try my best not to make mistakes because of the consequences and the grief they cause me.
Sometimes I push myself to admit that I made a mistake. During these times the consequences are either the same or actually better.
I won't get into details on the mistakes that I made or when I admitted to them or when people found out.
Deflecting Guilt
Recently at work I was confronted by my boss for not admitting to my mistakes and trying to deflect the guilt away from myself. I don't think that this is me trying to look perfect to others, but rather the shame I feel at making a mistake makes me do some pretty stupid stuff sometimes. It was a hard lesson to learn, and left me severly embarressed through the day.