Rewilding - Letting go of perfectionism
Rewilding…
It’s in the papers and the news, and Leonardo di Caprio is on board! It’s time to listen up!
I’m lucky enough to live alongside a rewilding project near Bristol, UK, and I can see the evolving meadows and woodland from my window. It looked messy at the start, but gradually the wildlife around us is changing, and we now have woodpeckers and sparrowhawks and egrets regularly visiting our happy valley.
So, what does this have to do with Compassionate Leadership?
It occurred to me that we have an obsession with Perfect, and rewilding is a beautiful example of what happens when we let go of perfect. Instead of immaculate green pastures, and silent skies, when you let go of perfection (and productivity), you get instead a richness and diversity and energy.
If you use this analogy in your life, admitting that things are tough and messy and imperfect, allows you to open the discussion and invite in new ideas and creative thinking.
How does your fixation on perfect impact you, and your ability to lead?
If you’re afraid to fail, you won’t try new things and you’ll cling possessively to what you know. Letting go of perfectionism means allowing yourself to put down the shield, be a little messy and vulnerable, but you gain so much more than you lose. You begin to hear others’ perspectives, you forge connections instead of feeling alone, and you’re more likely to respond to the struggles around you.
Dropping the idea of perfectionism isn’t about dropping your standards.
It’s about opening to the idea that you can improve, that you don’t have it all sussed, and your ideas are not always the best. Perfectionism means clinging to the idea that you’re right, in case you’re wrong. Perfectionists wait to be perfect before they take action. I know this because I’m a recovering perfectionist, but since I’ve been rewilding my mind, I’m having a lot more fun and achieving goals I’d only dreamt of before!
If you’re curious about how you can stop being a perfectionist and instead cultivate your creativity, get in touch with me to explore your coaching options.
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