MONDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2013
CONFESSIONS OF A RECOVERING PERFECTIONIST

My daughter texted me from college after her volleyball practice inquiring why she was so emotionally linked to her mistakes on the court. Here is what I shared.

"Emotions are a function of expectations, or beliefs. You enjoy the game, and you have trained heavily, so you take a high level of ownership. That torches up your right or wrong, all or nothing mentality. As a result, you personalize every action as if it defines you. The solution is to see it all as a process to improve, rather than an end result."

What about you? In marketplace competition, in your home, in ministry, or in your hobby, are you operating from a perfectionist perspective resulting in an unhealthy ownership that is hurting you and those around you?

This perspective was eating me alive until I realized that God wasn't looking for perfection; He was seeking excellence, doing the best with what I have. This shift in mentality, allowed me to own my mistakes as part of my fallen nature, yet give God the credit for any successes. It freed me from being defined by the outcomes of my efforts. Rather than proving my abilities, I learned to improve them.

Life is a journey. Paul wrote: "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). Did you catch that? You and I are works in progress, so let's shift our perspectives from perfection to excellence, recognizing that we will fall short, but the Restorer will make us new again on Restoration Road.

Blessings!

For more, watch:

Episode 125: From Perfection to Excellence with Alyssa Toupin

Hardcover

336 Pages
Credo House Publishers
1st Edition (March 2010)

$17.50

Study Guide

12-Week Series
80 Pages
Credo House Publishers (2010)

$10.00

DVD

12-Week Series
120 Minutes
Credo House Publishers (2010)

$15.00