What Does it Mean to Be Perfect?

If you were to look up "perfect" in Webster's Dictionary, you would find multiple definitions for a word people use flippantly every day. They are definitions that can be applied to almost anything: someone's actions, a college essay, exquisite diamonds and marriages, just to name a few. But this one word can so easily be misconstrued or taken out of context; it is a word which, when taken to the extreme, can cause emotional and psychological problems. Knowing the true meaning of perfect can be the key to your happiness.

The Technical Definition

• Webster's Dictionary lists a variety of definitions for the word "perfect." The first is "being entirely without fault or defect." The second is "satisfying all requirements, or accurate." Next is "corresponding to an ideal standard or abstract concept," followed by "faithfully reproducing the original." The last is "legally valid."

  If you were to judge yourself, your actions or your work according to these definitions, reaching perfection would be close to impossible in most cases.

The Dangers

• Striving to be perfect can be a heavy burden to bear. According to Cecil O. Samuelson, a professor and practitioner of medicine for more than 20 years, many become obsessed with being perfect. Many of these people are labeled as perfectionists. Though this is a label used in jest at times, it is a very real problem for some.

  Some people strive to be perfect students, children, parents and the best in their profession. Although these goals are not necessarily bad expectations, eventually they might lead to unrealistic perceptions of what others expect of them. In their constant attempts to be the perfect everything, health problems can arise. These include anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, inability to concentrate--and in severe cases, suicide (see Reference 1).

The Difference

• A healthy difference exists between striving to be the best you can be and being a perfectionist. It is good to try your best in every situation and feel satisfied knowing that you have, but it is unhealthy to make a list of what needs to be done and feeling dissatisfied even when you complete each task.

  You need to realize that everyone makes mistakes, including you, and recognize your mistakes as way to learn and grow. It is unhealthy to make a mistake and hate yourself for it, feeling as though you are a failure.

Creating a Balance

• According to Samuelson, everyone is a work in progress. Everyone, no matter how perfect they try to be, has shortcomings. Embrace your shortcomings and love yourself for them regardless before you will truly be prepared to change them, thus becoming "perfect." If you are overweight and are struggling in your attempts to lose your unwanted pounds, learning to love yourself as you are is the first step in reaching what you consider "perfect," and that is a healthy weight.

  You also need to be satisfied in with what you accomplish every day, even if it is not all you have planned initially. Satisfaction with you is another step to your own personal "perfect."

Perfect is Imperfect

• Unless you follow Webster's definition of perfect, there is no universal definition of perfect. What perfect is to you might not be what perfect is to another. Perhaps your "perfect" is a small cottage on the lake, but another's "perfect" is a mansion in Beverly Hills. What makes this "perfect" come to fruition is not the end result, but how you feel on your journey to obtain it. Perfect should feel good, it should provide you with a sense of satisfaction. If you find that you are only beating yourself up about every mistake, then "perfect" isn't worth it.