Day in and day out we come across people have the 'chalta hai' (it is ok) attitude. I had this question in mind so thought of asking it here.
Do you value perfection?
Thanks to all
I have been in search for perfection, erver since I was born.
Nowadays, I tend to find that perfection should include the ability to accept the fact that perfection is only a goal, and that humans are imperfect by nature. Accepting this theorem is a step towards perfection. )
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
I agree with " Michael J. Fox" 100 % whan he said :
"I am careful not to confuse EXCELLENCE with PERFECTION. EXCELLENCE, I can reach for; perfection is God's business."
I personally value any EXCELLENT WORK/ JOB very very much and I do usually compare it with other works/ jobs to gain best quality.
Perfection in Civilization
Aristotle considered nature to be the ultimate objective in educating people, when “objective meant not a definite bound, but the best results.” This “bound” was human civilization.
http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c11/E1-12-02-04.pdf
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence." - Vince Lombardi
Quite often, following the 80-20 principle is enough as the world is quite result-oriented and in many areas, doing lots well enough is valued more than doing a bit perfectly.
Perfection is an optimization of words or attitudes or actions or work... & this is against randomness or chaos which is a natural tendency according to one of the laws of thermodynamics which gives as an example the construction of a tower which takes time to perfect but its destruction can be done by dynamite in seconds.
I have always observed that those who are more tidy & organized and who seek perfection are generally more succeful in life than those who give an "OK" to any thing including a mess.
Some persons will accuse you or me of being unrealistic if we opt for perfection but this accusation is baseless since without perfection of even a tiny piece inside an equipment, this tool may never work.
Dear @Nizar, I am so tidy and organized at home as well as at work, while my kids tell me that it is a sort of obsessive compulsive behavior! Maybe it is!
Your children will always miss your tidyness, dear Ljubomir.
(It is a goal to attain, not at all compulsive obsessiveness. You would be handy in any household ! God bless you ! )
I have been in search for perfection, erver since I was born.
Nowadays, I tend to find that perfection should include the ability to accept the fact that perfection is only a goal, and that humans are imperfect by nature. Accepting this theorem is a step towards perfection. )
Dear Prof. Ljubomir Jacić, Your good work in optimizing life at home & at work has paid you the reward which is success in higher education, academic career for a long time, admiring students, and a good family.
Yes, absolute pefection belongs to God but the human being CAN do his/her best to reach the highest accessible point (which is the human's possible perfection).
It depends on the aim you want or you have to follow: many times we are used or we are forced to follow the Pareto priciple which is to solve problems or to finish developments only by 80 % or even less. For Company products often we customers dont pay for 100 % solutions. Being a scientist I dont like this thinking and acting. Here I prefer 100 % solutions. So it depends on the situation to be perfect or less perfect.In daily work it often depends on the cost: Advantage ratio you want to realise or you are allowed to apply.
Actually, no one is perfect! However, accuracy and precision are very important in any activity! These behavior could be developed if the actor has intrinsic motivation, commitment, clearly defined goal and appropriate actions that take us towards the desired outcomes!
I think perfection is valued in purchasing of products, but when it comes to human performance, I think we accept that it is evolving because we are imperfect as as human beings.
Best regards,
Debra
Perfection is a theoretical term- hardly it is found in practical life
Dear Pavlovic
Actually we hear people saying 'They are Perfectionist', and at times it is hard to believe. So I thought let me get the views of my colleagues here on researchgate.
I feel perfection and excellence both depend upon a person's intellectual, mental and physical capacities and capabilities. It also depends on his level of motivation.
Trying to achieve perfection may not allow the completion of any given ask.
Perfection is an ambiguous term and with age we concluded that it is not worth trying to be perfect. Besides, no one put up with someone close to perfect.
It is dangeraous trying to be close to perfection.
I think some people do value perfection in today's world - this can be seen from their deliverables compared with others. Reason they value perfection because their target value system is higher compared to others. They take pride in achieving those perfection & continuous to do so by raising the bar of perfection. However, the down sides of perfectionism include: hardly satisfied on what they had achieved, can't easily forgive themselves (sometimes to the extent of committing suicide) etc. Other down sides of perfectionism can be found in the following link:
http://personalexcellence.co/blog/perfectionism-downsides/
An interest quote to share:
“Perfectionists are their own devils.” – Jack Kirby
Also from the above link, you can find:
And who determines what is perfect :-)
It may be very difficult problem.
And also effort to achieve "total perfection" may be very difficult - and may lead to imperfect life.
Perfection of character is this: to live each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, without apathy, without pretence.”
Marcus Aurelius
The Russian saying "Don't do good-won't endure the evil" is actual.Decency,honesty,responsibility,creativity are not required by the corrupt and uncivilized people.These perfect qualities (the higher order values) of a normal human being may be only used by the mighty or sly people.A civilized,decent,creative, unmercenary personality is called "a sucker", "a loser".This one is a means of enriching and career for somebody and the first candidate for a garbage pit.
I value perfection personally, but to my great regret, I don't think it is required in moderm world and this is a realty !
There is no such thing as perfect in this world. That may sound cliché, but it’s the truth. The average person admires perfection and seeks to obtain it. But, what’s the point of achieving perfection? There is none. Nothing. Not a single thing. I loathe perfection!
If something is perfect, then there is nothing left. There is no room for imagination. No place left for a person to gain additional knowledge or abilities.
Do you know what that means? For scientists such as ourselves, perfection only brings despair. It is our job to create things more wonderful than anything before them, but never to obtain perfection. A scientist must be a person who finds ecstasy while suffering from that antimony. In short, the moment that foolishness left your mouth and reached my ears, you had already lost. Of course, that’s assuming you are a scientist”
- Tite Kubo
Perfection is not attainable and perfectionist persons are not effective when they deal with different tasks. Effective person use time management principles by doing the first things first or applying 80-20 rule as suggested by dear @ Tila.
"An arrogant person considers himself perfect. This is the chief harm of arrogance. It interferes with a person's main task in life becoming a better person"
- Leo Tolestoy
"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"Have no fear of perfection; you'll never reach it.""Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood." One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done. Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.
- Marie Curie
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
"Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect."
---- Vince Lombardi
In today's society, all focused on the performance, there is strong pressure to perfection. But not always perfectionism rhymes with happiness; on the contrary, this tension to always do more and better can make us eternally dissatisfied, unhappy, disheartened and in permanent race with ourselves. Maybe being imperfect can also mean being more authentic and free.
Dear @Enzo, thanks for wonderful description of freedom vs perfection. I have realised that it describes my daughter Nevena perfectly! The other daughter is totally opposite.
I will not object here any more in sense of imperfection!
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nevena_Jacic2
A human being may be perfect in the corrupt society, if this person is indifferent to the dirty rules of the corrupt society,where freedom is limited and only "choosen" have a right to prevail.This person lives according to his/her humanistic values and does the good.This person loves the people,who need in his/her love.The other problems are deep purple.
There might be a positive side in perfectionism for Exceptionally talented
Perfectionism can drive people to accomplishments and provide the motivation to persevere in the face of discouragement and obstacles.
Roedell (1984) argues:
"In a positive form, perfectionism can provide the driving energy which leads to great achievement. The meticulous attention to detail, necessary for scientific investigation, the commitment which pushes composers to keep working until the music realises the glorious sounds playing in the imagination, and the persistence which keeps great artists at their easels until their creation matches their conception all result from perfectionism"
Exceptionally talented people who excel in their field sometimes show signs of perfectionism. High-achieving athletes, scientists, and artists often show signs of perfectionism.
For example, some contend that Michelangelo's perfectionism may have motivated him to painstakingly complete his masterpieces including the statue David and the Sistine Chapel. Scientists that intently pursue their interests in the laboratory are often considered perfectionists. This obsession with an end result may motivate them to work diligently and maintain an impressive work ethic
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfectionism_(psychology)
I agree with the idea that we should pursue excellence, not perfection. More than that, I think we must beware of seeking perfection. I've known people who never realized their potential due to their excessive --sometimes obsessive-- zeal for details. A writer whose style I appreciate, Jorge Luis Borges, used to correct his writings over and over again. But, he said, at some point you have to publish them !
Jose, thank you for this answer. I agree totally but I could not express it this good way!
"A principle is the expression of perfection, and as imperfect beings like us cannot practice perfection, we devise every moment limits of its compromise in practice"
- Mahatma Gandhi
Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best, writes The New York Times best-selling author Brené Brown in her outstanding book The Gifts of Imperfection.
Perfectionism is not self-improvement. Perfectionism is, at its core, about trying to earn approval and acceptance. Most perfectionists were raised being praised for achievement and performance (grades, manners, rule following, people pleasing, appearance, sports). Somewhere along the way we adopt this dangerous and debilitating belief system: I am what I accomplish and how well I accomplish it. Perfectionism is driven by a deep fear of not being good enough in other’s eyes, of making mistakes, of being revealed for the fraud we secretly believe ourselves to be.
http://www.vettimes.co.uk/article/finding-a-balance-how-to-stay-sane-under-pressure/
Is perfection valued in today's world?
Regarding the 80/20 rule, the so called Pareto Principle.......meaning that 20% of our total effort produces 80% of our end results.....I would say "No" .....
If we allow 80% to be good enough, we will be happier and more productive... We will have time for creativity, can follow new ideas leading to innovation ... and last not least there might be more results which are valued.
Perfect these days are almost non-existent, although it a target for a lot of people, but they remain elusive. There is no doubt that God is perfect
Stephen Hawking thoughts on perfection:
“One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist.....Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist”
- Stephen Hawking
We have to pursue excellence and not perfection.
- Perfectionists strive for impossible goals. Pursuers of excellence enjoy meeting high standards that are within reach.
- Perfectionists value themselves by what they do. Pursuers of excellence value themselves by who they are.
- Perfectionists, when they run into difficulty, get easily overwhelmed and give up. On the other hand, pursuers of excellence experience temporary disappointment, but they keep going.
- Perfectionists can be devastated by failure;
It depends what it means the perfection of the world. His perfection is terrible imperfection. I value this, and that the imperfection vanished - one needs to create a balance.
Perfection in research is important; timely delivery of creative solutions with perfection is the ideal.
Perfection is not attainable and we all accept that perfection doesn’t exist, but we can use this abstract idea to “catch excellence.” It means we believe in our qualities and we want to use them to accomplish as much as we can.
Once we find this balance, we have a reason to wake up with energy and motivation every morning, because we have a challenging purpose. And if we dream big, we can achieve far more than average individuals.
Our accomplishments may be slightly different from what we had in mind, but if we work hard they will be the outcome of an excellent job, and they will always be better than the result of a lousy job.
So accepting imperfect lives, imperfect families, imperfect jobs, imperfect body shapes, and working for excellence, using perfection as an ideal model, is what we should learn to do in our everyday life in order to attain happiness and life satisfaction.
http://www.theseeds4life.com/perfection-is-not-attainable-but-if-we-chase-perfection-we-can-catch-excellence-vince-lombardi
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
"Perfectionism attaches to what is valued in the culture."
---- Gloria Steinem
When quality slips, it ruins even the greatest idea
The greatest design, doesn't matter how many brains contributed to them, can fatally falter in the execution phase if quality slips.
"Quality is (uncountable) level of excellence while perfection is the quality or state of being perfect or complete, so that nothing requisite is wanting..."
http://www.wikidiff.com/perfection/quality
Perfection is unattainable, however, we should value excellence and strive for it. There is a difference between perfection and excellence.
"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing"
~Harriet Braiker
"Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
- John W. Gardner
"Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable"
~ Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield
Once we attain perfection there is nothing left to attain! But aim for perfection repeatedly will definitely lead to excellence.
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
"Looking for perfection is the only way to motivate yourself."
------ Ronnie O'Sullivan
"It is reasonable to have perfection in our eye that we may always advance toward it, though we know it can never be reached"
~ Samuel Johnson
"Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it"
~ William Ellery Channing
I have observed when you learn to find pleasure in your work whatever it may be. Work has to be done so why not do it happily! You end up attaining excellence if not perfection in your work!
"Is perfection valued in today's world?"
Definitely not in some of the foods. Take a look at the attached picture (a burger with layers of beef patties). It will be very hard for one to find out how a 'beef patty" is produced from ground beef by huge fast-food chain restaurants. I watched a document film, and I lost my appetite. Some wash the meat with ammonium hydroxide before use it to prevent bacterial. A large number of people consume such types of food here. Although I know there are some people trying hard to 'perfect' food they eat every day.
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
"Stop trying to be someone else's idea of perfect. Be your imperfectly perfect self. Be YOU."
---- MARC and ANGEL
Strive for excellence versus perfectionism in yourself and your relationships. Perfectionism requires straining, controlling, compulsiveness, and going to extremes that often backfire. Excellence can be reached by staying
focussed on the path (process) NOT the outcome. Excellence achieves patience and balance which brings out the best in you, the “real” you. Look at the following list and learn it well enough to make the cognitive shifts that will bring your life closer to the centre.
EXCELLENCE IS LEARNING
Perfectionism is Needing to be Right
EXCELLENCE IS WILLING TO RISK
Perfectionism is Avoiding Fears
EXCELLENCE IS SPONTANEOUS
Perfectionism is Rigid Structure
EXCELLENCE IS ACCEPTING
Perfectionism is Critical
EXCELLENCE IS SHARING
Perfectionism is Consuming
EXCELLENCE IS CONFIDENCE
Perfectionism is Doubt
EXCELLENCE IS HARMONY
Perfectionism is Struggle
EXCELLENCE IS JOURNEY
Perfectionism is Destination
EXCELLENCE IS INVOLVEMENT
Perfectionism is Winning
EXCELLENCE IS TRUST
Perfectionism is Apprehension
EXCELLENCE IS EVOLVING
Perfectionism is Stagnation
http://courses.educ.ubc.ca/cite/html/Courses/ssed/Documents/Excellence.pdf
Some of the 'perfect' status can be indeed accomplished through practice, but some will never. For example, we have this term 'perfect score' where students achieve 100 points (out of 100 points), gymnastists or figure skaters score 10 points (out of 10 points). On the other hand, writing a paper, we will never know what kind of status is 'perfect'.
They say,"An open-hearted personality has the only one imperfection-a lot of people try to trample one's feelings down and laugh".
http://constructorus.ru/psixologiya/otkrytost.html
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
"Perfectionism vs. Value -- by Brad Bollenbach
It’s entirely possible that the only thing standing between where you are now, and where you want to be can be summed up in one word: perfectionism.
You can’t publish your article yet; the title isn’t quite right.
You can’t give a talk about zero downtime deployments; you’re not even an expert on it.
You can’t release your code yet; it’s crap compared to DHH’s code!
The quest to be perfect is a quest to create nothing at all.
And here’s the thing: perfectionism isn’t. Even once you’re sure you’ve dotted all the i’s and crossed every t, you still can’t avoid the fact that some people – lots of people even – will think it’s junk. (Can you think of a single piece of software that isn’t the subject of seething rage by a vocal minority of non-doers?)
Thankfully, perfectionism doesn’t matter. Creating value is what matters." ....
http://30sleeps.com/blog/2014/02/06/perfectionism-vs-value/
MAINTAINING A MINDSET OF EXCELLENCE (NOT PERFECTIONISM)
When one is focused on attaining perfection, there is a tendency to be overly critical of oneself or others; to procrastinate; to generate stress; to dull efficiency; and to negatively affect morale as the individual and his coworkers learn that their efforts are never good enough.
The healthier and more productive mindset is that of excellence, meeting the highest standards set and agreed upon for oneself or by the group. The differences between these concepts might seem subtle at first, but the results are substantial.
Consider the mindset of a person focused on perfection:
- Critical
- Unable to see the big picture
- Stressed
- Unconfident
In contrast, the person concentrating on excellence has a mindset of:
- Continual growth and learning
- Satisfaction of a job well-done and clients served
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Satisfaction, due to an ability to complete things and move on
- Lower stress thanks to clarified expectations
- Strong sense of meaningful aaccomplishment
http://www.ivysea.com/pages/intrap_0701_2.html
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
"Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it."
----- William Ellery Channing
Waiting for Perfection Might Leave You Behind!
“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.” — Oscar Wilde
"While I don’t think of life as a mistake-laden treadmill, I agree with Holt that there are lessons to be learned from each experience. Although I certainly don’t want a life where bad decisions outweigh the good ones, I recognize that every decision won’t be the right one. Part of growing is trying out different avenues to determine which is best. In today’s fast-paced world, if you wait for perfection, you will be left behind..."
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/best-mistake-waiting-perfection-might-leave-you-behind-nardelli?trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A577811291452938572052%2CVSRPtargetId%3A5986954593114865664%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary&trk=vsrp_influencer_content_res_name
“The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.”
~ Arthur Koestler
Perfection is a promise of Jesus Christ to St. Brigitte of Sweden, in the last millenium, to who read daily the Divine Office, today the Liturgy of the Hours.
The Church has authorized actually substitute these lectures by other prays daily along a year, which were said by Jesus.
http://es.catholic.net/op/articulos/15511/las-20-divinas-promesas.html
Dear Yassin I agree with you perfection is always valued. - The end result of perfection is valued but for that the road to reach perfection becomes difficult.
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
“If you look for perfection, you'll never be content.”
― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
"There's no harm in doing our best whenever we face a task. Aiming for perfection will put us on the path to "pretty darn good". However, there is an insidious side to seeking perfection that we need to consider.
One problem with perfection is that seeking it can turn even the simplest endeavor into an obsession. George Fisher said, "When you aim for perfection, you discover it's a moving target." Trying to reach for the perfect can become a full-time job if that goal gains too much importance for an individual. The problem with obsessions is that they grab our focus and pull it away from other important things, leading to an unbalanced and, sometimes, an unstable life.
Perfectionism is also a well-known cause of procrastination. When perfection is demanded, mistakes cannot be tolerated. The best way to avoid mistakes is by delaying doing anything. Of course, putting things off then leads to other problems. One of the sure cures for procrastination is to adopt an attitude that says "good enough is good enough" and that the best you can do is alright"
http://www.16personalities.com/articles/the-perfect-type
Dear Dr. Vibha Sharma,
There is no such gold copy that can measure perfection. If perfection can be reached in timeline then it vales otherwise optimum approach is better than perfection.
Perfection is characteristic of a gifted person, especially in children's age.
"Perfectionism is very close to excellence, and, of course, parents and teachers encourage excellence in children. In our great excitement at their performance, we describe their work as perfect and we award A plusses and 100 percent–all very deserving and appropriate. In fact, many gifted children go several years without the experience of making mistakes in school. Being perfect, right, and smartest easily becomes part of their persona, a persona developed by a combination of who they are and what the important adults and peers in their lives expect of them. Many talent areas demand excellence, such as music, dance, and gymnastics. Gifted children deliver this excellence, and it becomes both a good and bad habit–good when they strive for excellence; and bad when they can’t tolerate mistakes or criticism, or when their fears of a less than perfect performance prevent their performing at all..."
http://sengifted.org/archives/articles/sylvia-rimm-on-perfectionism-in-the-gifted-an-interview-by-sengs-editor-in-chief-michael-shaughnessy
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10459.aspx
According to St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians 3,12, he wrote:
"I do not believe I have already reached the goal, nor do consider myself perfect, but I press on till I conquer Christ Jesus, as I have already been conquered by him."
If you value perfection, you will love to Jesus Christ. Thank you.
Dear Ljubomir ! You are absolutely right. When we deal with young children, on daily basis, we find the importance of teaching them not to leave unattended tasks. Not to give up on games when they notice that they won't win. Sometimes, it is a difficult struggle. But I 'm sure it will be helpful. The real good values of life and social ethics start at the earliest age possible, and slowly will become intrinsic.
My elder boy, of 9, has a natural tendency to cheat at every game, including chess (!!!??!!!). I have been slowly teaching him to play just for the enjoyment of the game and of his efforts to play without cheating. It has been a strong battle, but nowadays he prefers to play with me (even if I never let him win...). Whenever he makes a good move, he smiles and repeats my motus. ("you should always play to win , even if you know you're bound to loose"). That is a little step towards the path to perfection, isn't it ?
Perfection is the need of the present age as we have to face competition & also we have to make the requisite changes & if necessary innovation in our program.
For our survival in our action of our programming plan perfection is the must & we can not afford to close our eyes so to say perfection is a challenge for our survival & also to with stand in our present competition .
This is my personal opinion
Patience and perseverance are prerequisites to attain perfection. Once attained tolerance has to be practiced by perfectionist to move along with rest of the world
Dear Vibha Sharma,
Modern social and economic conditions put forward new requirements for the development of creative abilities of modern man due to the continuous need to adapt to rapidly changing social and economic conditions, to the ever-expanding volume of information.
In today's world, work is highly valued. Creative profession today is very popular. Single-minded creative people always find a way of life for the successful realization of their creative potential.
Regards, Shafagat
Dear Shafagat
I absolutely agree with your perspective. Work is valued today. More the creative one is more successful he can be in finding solutions to many problems or being successful.
Regards
Vibha
To appreciate the value, historical heritage and aesthetic charm, then a vintage product like car of yester-years still perform with elegance, perfection is still valued today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMNWqnmnEq4&feature=player_embedded
Christian perfection is charity, or all virtues presided by charity. This is a teaching of the Church since the first century.
Please, I ask to the down-voter to explain what he/she does not understand or what he/she thinks about the question. This would be a justification of his/her thinking and not acting as an anonymous seducer. This would be perfection.
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
This is an advice for the present generation they should not forget!!!!
Please, see...
I hope not. Perfection is the climax of boredom because once you get there (IF you get there), there is nothing else to do. I'd rather pursuit excellence, which is relative and achieved by different means. Perfection is like an enigma: there is only one answer and when you find it, there's nothing else to do. Whereas excellence has many answers, and you can continue your search in an endlessly productive manner. Great question, Vibha!!! :-)
Lilliana
It's hard for a perfectionist to gel with the rest of the world. To a Perfectionist, however it is the most valuable unique possession whether the world values it or not.
Dear Hema
You are indeed right! Normally people see perfection as a waste of time! They feel that something that can be done easily is taking a lot of time.
Only the perfectionist values his perfection. At times perfection can raise levels of professional jealousies also.
Regards
Vibha
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
This is a very interesting article entitled "Place Value Perfection":
Place Value is how our number system works. Without it we wouldn't be able to write large numbers. Just think.... with just 10 digits - 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, we can write ANY number we choose!
That means the value of a digit (what it's worth) depends on its place (where it is in the number). Therefore we have the term PLACE... VALUE.
Get it? COOL!
So a 2 could be worth 2...20...200... depending on the place of the digit...and into the
thousands,
millions,
billions,
trillions,
and so on" .......
Please, the rest of the article for detail.....
http://www.westasd.org/webpages/rcastelluci/math.cfm?subpage=263519
Yes, there are still people value perfection today, including those people in the attached pictures.......
Dear,
This is a very interesting article, I think that perfection is valued but the search for perfection is not valued nowadays.
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