The Millionaire Mind Support Network

“If you aren’t making any mistakes, it’s a sure sign you’re playing it too safe.”

John Maxwell
American author, speaker and leadership expert

I first heard the phase, “the paralysis of perfection” during the Millionaire Mind Intensive program. Our MMI trainer, Doug Nelson, was sharing T. Harv Eker’s theory “That every master was once a disaster”, and the only way to reach excellence is just “Frigin’ do it”, look at the results, adjust the approach and repeat, always looking to improve the process until you get the result you want.

Doug went on to explain that our ego-mind often plays the “got-to-be-perfect” card to keep our money blueprint at it’s current ‘set-point’. When we aim for perfection in everything, at some level, we are unconsciously setting ourselves up for certain failure.

In the book that inspired “The Secret”, The Science of Getting Rich, Wally Wattles addresses the paralysis of perfection. Mr. Wattles advises “efficient” action and suggests, “…to do each day all that we can do WITHOUT hurrying.” Rather than trying to be PERFECT at everything we do, seeking EXCELLENCE is a better objective.

Excellence takes into account our “imperfections.”

There’s only ONE way to express perfection in a particular endeavor and, an infinite number of ways — to be less than perfect.

Doug talked about simply “relaxing into the gap” and to focus on taking action now aiming for consistently excellent results, instead of waiting to action with the “hope” of perfect results ‘someday. In his book Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, T. Harv Eker refers to this as the “Fire, Ready Aim” approach. Releasing the need for perfection and just taking action, right here, right now takes releases the expectation of perfection and allows us approach the project with joy, rather than fear of failure. It is wonderfully liberating to stop expecting that everyone else be perfect, too.

A number of the Millionaire Mind Intensive exercises are design to uncover our hidden belief systems about money and success. Until we are clear about WHAT we want, and WHY we want it, moving out of existing comfort zone will be difficult. I discovered I shared a mind set frequently found in the adult children of alcoholics — my own urge to be “perfect” was actually based in a need to CONTROL everything and everyone in my little world.
Wattles points out, we don’t have to direct the ‘Original Substance’ or control the creative process. In fact, we can’t! We just have to reach clarity about WHAT we really WANT and proceed from there.

Doug Nelson always stresses the importance of constant action. Success is not a sprint, or a grueling marathon — it is a daily, joyful, purposeful walk. Approaching each day with appreciation, taking action, doing the best you can at that given moment and recognizing each success, provides the “gap” to relax into,

Striving for excellence doesn’t beat me over the head every time I make a mistake. I’m able to note the result, make a correction and do better the next time.

I have resigned from a not so exclusive club — the perfection police. Rather than concern myself with what is wrong, I seek to note that which is right

“Expect excellence from yourself in a way that motivates and inspires you, but don’t set yourself up to fail at being perfectly perfect every minute.”

— Loretta LaRoche
Faculty of the Tufts Medical School, Author, Humorist

A good laugh or even a gentle chuckle is good for your health and your wealth

“Perfectionist’s Prayer”

Dear God –

Help me not be a perfectionist. (Did I spell that correctly?)

Help me to relax about insignificant details, beginning tomorrow
at 7:41:23 a.m. EST.

Help me to not try to run everything — but, if You need some
help, please feel free to ask me.

Help me to consider people’s feelings, even if most of them are
hypersensitive.

Help me to take responsibility for the consequences of my
actions, even though they’re usually not my fault.

Help me to be more laid back, and help me to do it exactly right.

Help me to take things more seriously — especially laughter,
parties, and dancing.

Give me patience, and I mean right now!

Help me to finish everything I start

Help me to keep my mind on one thing — oh, look, a bird — at a
time.

Help me to do only what I can, and trust for the rest. And could
I get that in writing?

Keep me open to others’ ideas, misguided though they may be.

Help me follow established procedures. Hey, wait — this is wrong
…

Help me slow down andnotrushthroughwhatido.

Thank you. Amen

Author Unknown

“I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection.
Excellence I can reach for; perfection is God’s business.”

— Michael J. Fox