The Pursuit of Perfection: An Accountant’s Struggle
The Perfectionist Instinct
As accountants, we are trained to aim for perfection. We’ve all been there, reconciling to the penny, ensuring everything balances, and making sure that everything is equal. It’s part of the job, and it’s how we maintain the integrity of our work. The fundamental accounting equation, Assets = Liabilities + Equity, is a perfect example of the precision we strive for in our daily tasks. Everything must balance, and anything that doesn’t is an issue that needs immediate attention.
The Pressure of Always Getting It Right
But there’s a danger in this mindset – when the instinct for perfection starts to bleed into everything we do. We become obsessed with getting everything just right, and the idea of ‘good enough’ doesn’t feel like an option. It’s easy to feel like we must always overdeliver, constantly striving to impress, and that can leave us exhausted and anxious. We set impossible standards for ourselves, and the fear of not meeting them can be paralysing.
Excellence Over Perfection
It’s a difficult shift to make, but I’ve learned that excellence is often better than perfection. Excellence is about doing your best, achieving a high standard, and continuously improving – without the need to be perfect every time. The problem is, it’s hard to embrace this when you’re wired to focus on the details and make sure everything is balanced to the penny.
A Lesson from the Past: The 147 Break
As a kid in the 80s, I remember watching snooker greats like Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor. They were always striving for that perfect 147 break, the holy grail of snooker. But what struck me the most was that they were already reaching incredible levels of excellence, even if perfection wasn’t always achieved. Their skill was undeniable, and they were winning matches and impressing fans, all without needing the perfect break every single time. This is a lesson that’s easy to forget – that excellence, even without perfection, is still enough to succeed and make an impact.
Moving Beyond Perfection
So, while we accountants continue to reconcile every number and strive for balance, it’s important to remember that excellence doesn’t need to be flawless. It’s about doing your best, embracing the process, and learning along the way. Sometimes, perfection can be the enemy of progress. We don’t need to impress at every turn; we need to make steady, meaningful progress toward the goal.
“I have done it! What a feeling, I have achieved something today, this week, this year. I have blogged today.”
Thanks for stopping by – Have a good day!
The Depressed Accountant™