Sis,
I hate to break it to you, but perfectionism is killing your vibe. It’s destroying your relationships and ruining your ability to progress. I’ve had the privilege of working for both men and women in leadership, and I’ve observed that the most successful leaders are not the ones who cross every t and dot every i. But, on the contrary, the most successful have chosen a few areas to excel and left everything else by the wayside. With the growing demand on those of us in leadership, it is impossible to meet the daily demands of life and family and pursue our goals.
So, what do we do?
We let some things go. This morning, it was finding my shoe; yesterday night, it was the kitchen. Tonight, I will likely abandon my email. Why? Because I cannot be all things, to all people, at all times. I struggled for years to meet the needs of everyone around me. To execute flawlessly for a pat on the back, only to have my health and family suffer in the process.
I’m here to tell you today that flat belly elixir ain’t worth it. It’s stressing you out, not really helping you lose weight, and now you’re hungry. The truth is, the things we do for the applause of others rarely bring us the fulfillment we think they will. Even achieving perfection is likely at the expense of something more sacred.
Imagine the relief I felt when I learned God never needed my perfection; he just needed my best.
This post was originally published as an EZ Breezy Newsletter. Subscribe today.
Issata O. is a leader, advocate, and lover of Christ. By day she is a leader in higher education, and by night she is a wife, student, and mother to a very special little boy named Mighty Manny. She believes in transforming the lives of imperfect women through the grace of a perfect God. She is the founder of The EZ Breezy Life, Manny's Village, and Issata O. Inc. Learn more about Issata O. by visiting www.issatao.com.