Perfectionism

Over the years, dealing with self-titled perfectionists who give more than 100%, leaves me aghast with the very idea of perfect. First of all, nature abhors perfection, monocultures and any such layers of exactitude. Abomination. The very strength of any species is the errors in their genes that make them capable of adaptation. If every copy was perfect, all it would take is one perfect predator, and it's game over.

This is all beside the fact that every proclaimed perfectionist I have ever known has been profoundly angry and dysfunctional. They are constantly raging against the sins of those around them, the lapses, the peeves. And they are often blind to their own gross errors and breathtakingly rude assumptions. They miss huge swathes of important tasks in order to fix trivial details that don't really matter that much. Then they go to great effort to correct what others will surely do wrong, never noticing that it has already been done properly.

Oh, and giving more than 100%? Any points over that have been stolen from someone else, since there is no such thing as giving more than one has.


I can only think these are the assumed A students. I got mostly As, but not all, and I always had to work for them. My teachers raved about me, I was told how smart I was, but none of it mattered because I still couldn't escape. Ok, smart is useful, but how do I get out? How do I turn this into enough money to get away? As for their own sake? Always? Really, the best thing I ever did was contract for Bs in nursing school when that was an option. Such a relief, do exactly this to these specifications, get a B, concentrate on the more time consuming classes. Brilliant. I only heard later "C's get Degrees!" No employer has ever offered me an A+. 70-90% is the most anyone needs. Engineers need better in certain areas, but not - say - in keeping their shoes clean or hair combed. It all has to balance.

One of the worst perfectionist nurses I've worked with, was made a charge nurse a few years back, and now only fills that role on rare occasions. (Yes, she pissed everyone off that much.) She would put an O2 tank and mask on the patient's bed, and I already had one there. Not just once, it happened regularly. She would correct other nurses' charting. This is like telling your Mother-in-law how to clean her house. Worse, as this is a legal document, and we sign our own names to it, and each know what we have done, and have all been taught to chart differently. She's actually a reliable circulator, although far from perfect, and I would have no qualms about her being on my surgery or of anyone I loved. I wouldn't pick her especially, though. One of the nurses she most complains about is a bit lax, but everyone around her is calm - because she is so easy-going. I don't like getting breaks from her, but I love working with her. Relaxed Nurse gets things done, but more slowly, and with everyone around her able to think.


A former friend was so much focused on being perfect that she rarely got anything done at all. Internet searches into infinity about obscure problems with her child, didn't get her vaccinated or enrolled in pre-school. Part of why I am not at all inclined to try and reestablish the friendship.

I take very good care of my patients. But I don't always fill in the nice-but-not-necessary parts of the charting. I'm not meticulous about charges when I'm busy keeping the surgery going. I sometimes don't put on gloves to pick up a dropped instrument on the floor, but sanitize my hands after. Sometimes I run for items at the last minute, but I'm pretty fast. I forget things, as everyone does.

For me, perfection is like saying π should be 3. Well, it's not, and there's no getting around it. Error is built into the system, and perfect is impossible. Because that is how we become adaptable and how we grow. It's all just taking care of each other and not losing our sanity.

Kind beats perfect every time. Good enough is all we really want, really.