In 2022, I purchased an oil paint set for $100.
It was a lot of money for a college kid, but it was worth it for the life-changing lesson I learned.
As soon as I got home, I ripped the kit open and set up a blank canvas.
I squeezed crimson red, phthalo blue, and viridian green onto my pallet. I mixed the colors with my brush and started to paint.
I felt like Van Gogh experiencing painting for the first time.
But my joy didn’t last long. My painting looked nothing like I expected it to. What was supposed to be fun turned into a living hell.
Repeating thoughts filled my head:
“Why did I even try this?”
“I’ll never be good at this”
“Others will say my painting sucks”
The problem?
Perfectionism.
It’s the killer of all success. It steals your ability to grow, experiment, and learn.
When people start a new skill they focus on the wrong thing. They waste hours trying to create high-quality outcomes that take years to master.
They fall into patterns of self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration. They often quit and never come back.
Avoid this.
Instead? Embark on the path to mastery.
The Path to Mastery (in Any Facet of Life)
“Perfection is a myth. Progress is reality.” — Unknown
My paintings are infinitely better than when I started.
And one simple mindset shift helped me more than anything else — not only in painting… but in business and life.
It has helped me break the chains of perfectionism, create higher-quality outcomes, and enjoy my work.
What is it?
I’ll tell you in a second. But this is important.
Life is like a video game — we all start at level 1.
We level up when we do new things and get new experiences. When playing a game, you’re not worried about failing because you can try again. Life is the same way (but most don’t realize it).
Most people think their chances are limited. But once you fall in love with your craft, the journey is joyous.
When you realize perfect isn’t the goal, and switch to progress — this is when you set yourself on the road to mastery. If you allow yourself to be bad at something long enough, you’ll start to be good at it… and others will see it too.
In 12 months, you’ll look back and laugh at the mountains you used to struggle with. Then you can help others conquer them as well.
So what’s the secret?
When starting something new, focus on quantity. Not quality.
Here’s how:
How to Overcome Perfectionism (and Still Create Quality Outcomes)
“Perfectionism sucks the air out of your uniqueness and leaves you empty, away from who you could become.” ―Darryl Stewart Wellness
1) Give Yourself the Grace to Fail
In school, we’re taught that failure is evil… but the real world is different. Failure is your friend — your guide. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Fall in love with the process, rather than the outcome.
2) Put in the Reps
Quality is created by one thing… the quantity of reps. When you’re not as good as others — it’s because they’ve done it longer than you. They’ve had more trials and more failures. You're comparing yourself to someone 10 steps ahead of you.
3) Expand Your Time Horizon
You’ve undoubtedly made progress in your life — you’ve grown, learned, and conquered mountains you never thought you would. Approach new trials with this mindset. Today, you’re a fool. In 12 months, you can be a master. Play the long game.
4) Don’t Listen to Opinions
When you fail, others might judge you… but failure is part of the game. Stop worrying about the opinions of others. Failure means you are trying. You’re getting better, while others are staying the same.
Thanks for reading,
Stay curious my friend.
-Rocky "Quantity over Quality" Ferony
PS...
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