The Recipe For Perfection

If you know me, then you know I am most definitely not about to tell you "the recipe for perfection" like I said in the title above.

As a female college student, I understand and have faced the struggle of trying to obtain something that doesn't exist. Whether it is about my style, eating and exercise habits, grades, or career, there has never been a time in my life where I've said "I can stop now." I know that I should want things in life, and that striving to achieve my goals is a great characteristic to have. The issue lies at the blurred line between desiring to be better at something and obsessing over it.

The point is, we can't always be perfect at everything and we have to know how to say "You know what? I'm ok with where I am right now. I can be present and enjoy this."

Now I want you to think of the one thing you really want in life right now. The thing you most desire to accomplish next. Ask yourself the following questions...

Does working towards it make you happy?

Does it feel like you are learning things on the way?

Have you created a goal that is realistic to accomplish?

If you don't understand why I am asking this, I am going to quickly provide you of an example.

Let's say you set a goal to lose 20 pounds in 3 weeks. This is your #1 goal in life right now and it is the most important thing to you. You have cut out pizza even though it is your favorite food and you only allow yourself to have one big meal a day. Now let's try to apply these questions to this specific goal...

Does working towards it make you happy?

Does it feel like you are learning things on the way?

Have you created a goal that is realistic to accomplish?

So obviously if you apply this scenario to these questions, the responses will be pretty negative. Now let's try a new example...

You decide that you want to get in shape for your birthday party that is coming up in 3 months. You do some research and find some healthy recipes that sound delicious. Then you ride your bike 4 times a week and listen to a playlist you made on your phone. You set a goal to be an overall healthier person and get in better shape by your big day.

Lets try applying that scenario to the questions again...

Does working towards it make you happy?

Does it feel like you are learning things on the way?

Have you created a goal that is realistic to accomplish?

The point in showing you these two scenarios is so that you understand the value of setting reasonable goals for yourself in life. If you want to accomplish things in your life while still enjoying it, you have to find that happy medium. This means not going to extremes on either end of the spectrum.

Life is not an all or nothing game. It is a game of balance.

I hope that by reading this, you can understand that life isn't about being perfect! If you want to be great at something, work hard at it, but don't forget about everything else. Be present and most importantly, learn to enjoy the climb instead of trying to keep your head down until you get to the top.