Perfectionism and Procrastination

I have been struggling with procrastination

 and perfectionism for a long time. I had no idea 

the two were siblings. 

Twins actually....and therefore constant companions.

 When this struggle will end, I don't know.

Frequently, as I age, I find myself silently fighting within myself 

I know there are many of you who are in  the same battles, 

every day, every hour and sometimes every minute.

So here are some encouraging quotes 

from Anne Lamott's book  Bird by Bird on the topic. 

May they encourage you to get on with your creative project..

And also go out and buy the book :)

1.   'I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that

if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping stone just right,

you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway

and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet

are going to do a whole lot better than you,

and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.'

2.   'Perfectionism means that you try desperately not to leave

so much mess to clean up. But clutter and mess show us that

life is being lived. Clutter is wonderfully fertile ground---you can

still discover new treasures under all those piles, clean things up, 

edit things out, fix things, get a grip. 

Tidiness suggests that something is as good

as it's going to get. '

3.   'Perfectionism is one way our muscles cramp.

In some cases we don't even know that the wounds and

 the cramping are there, but both limit us.

They keep us moving and writing in tight,worried ways. 

They keep us standing back or backing away from life,

keep us from experiencing life in a naked and immediate way.

So how do we break through them and get on?'

4.   'Vonnegut said, "When I write, I feel like an armless

legless man with a crayon in his mouth."

So go ahead and make big scrawls and mistakes. 

Use up lots of paper.' 

  5.    'What people somehow (inadvertently, I am sure)

forget to mention when we were children was

that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are

and why we are here--- and, by extension, what we're

supposed to be writing.'

Hope you feel inspired.

Keep working away...

Keep publishing and learning.  

Photo Credit: Unsplash