Embracing Imperfection: Why Striving for Perfection Might Be Holding You Back

Throughout our lives, we’ve been relentlessly pursued by the shadow of perfection. We were taught that perfection is the pinnacle of success, and anything less is considered inadequate. Our very own “Sharmaji ka beta” (Mr. Sharma’s son) always serves as a benchmark for our own achievements.

I, too, was a product of this relentless pursuit. Scoring 85% on a test wasn’t cause for celebration; it was a reminder that others had soared to 90% and beyond. Excelling in one subject wasn’t enough; we were expected to be all-rounders. The comparisons were endless, and it seemed that unless we achieved a flawless 100% in every aspect of life, we would always fall short.

What’s sad is that, unknowingly, our parents often fell into this same mindset, pushing us harder without fully understanding our true passions and interests.

As students, we usually respond to this pressure in one of two ways: either we continue to strive for perfection in everything, or we give up entirely, convinced that we’ll be judged regardless.

Around the time I was 16 years old, (Std 10) I started realizing I could not be perfect and started letting go of things. I had studied well and received decent marks — I think around 81% and but it felt like everyone around me had achieved more. It was my first taste of disappointment.

Slowly, I realized, being imperfect is not bad. It gives me the opportunity to try out so…