The purpose of our lives is not to achieve perfection. And it’s arguable that life is inherently perfect or that everything about our lives is already part of a perfect whole. Regardless, it’s just not necessary to strive for perfection all of the time.

Maybe some pivotal moments require a flawless performance. Maybe some critical opportunities require us to exhibit superhuman capabilities. But a lot of day-to-day experiences get along just fine when we simply practice being our best selves, even if we fall short.

Striving for perfection is noble. But it can also drive us mad. And it can create nasty emotional byproducts like insecurity, jealousy, and worthlessness, which aren’t on the love side of the spectrum.

So, let’s always practice being our best selves. Let’s make our goal to be our best selves most of the time and accept that sometimes we’ll fall short. And let’s leverage perfection as a navigational star instead of our ultimate destination.