The Perfection Paradox

There have been a number of times throughout my career that I have been accused of being a perfectionist.  Naturally, being a "creative" I defensively swatted this label like a green fly on my picnic basket, as I muttered, “you just have lower standards,” under my breath.

You see, when I’m creating I feel most alive. I am fueled by a deep rooted passion that is supported by my innate talent, a G-d given gift. Creating provides “the artist” with a high of sorts, an adrenaline rush that causes the passage of time to go virtually unnoticed and have less significance.  Creating is a mission of self-expression that can be extremely fulfilling, especially when the completed work is acknowledged by others and brings joy or some other tangible benefit to the world. I’m pretty confident that I share this feeling with artists everywhere, whether it’s the painter, the sculptor, the musician, the architect or the writer….we are all artists.

Over the years I have noted that most business people are truly fascinated with the creative mind, yet they fear it equally. I believe that they are intrigued by the boundary-less, free-spiritedness that embodies the creative mind, but they are weary of the challenges that are often associated with the artist’s “perfect at any cost” mindset.  On the other hand, artists view “the suits” (a nickname for those that try to reign in our creative minds under the guise of “budgetary controls”) as “buzz killers,” similar to parents who return home early from a weekend away only to find their kids partying like it’s 1999.

Fast forward a number of years to a time when my creativity had afforded me enough success to find myself responsible for multi-million dollar projects that required the coordination of dozens of staffers, vendors, actors, production personnel and, yes, “Suits”.  The scariest part was that I was now forced to play for BOTH teams.  A Creative Suit?  Is that even possible? It was not only possible, it was an absolute necessity and there was not much room for error. I had no choice but to deliver a high-quality “creative” product while simultaneously managing diverse personalities, tight budgets and a stringent deliverable timeline.  While I have honed my business acumen over the years, and can compile a spreadsheet that could impress most CPAs, I’ll ALWAYS be a creative guy at my core. An artist really. In fact, till this day, doing spreadsheets drains my energy like a bad flu. However, the time had come to face the facts. My propensity to get lost in the creative process and my desire for perfection were about to be challenged by the reality of the economics at hand.  

Leonardo da Vinci was quoted as saying “art is never finished, only abandoned.”  Similarly, a few years ago I heard Steven Spielberg say during an interview, “I’ve done [a lot] of movies, yet I’ve never finished any of them.”  These two quotes have had a profound impact on me.  They helped me accept that perfectionism has good intentions (to remind us to strive for excellence), but as the saying goes: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

The fact is perfectionism comes at a cost and, if not governed, it can have a catastrophic impact on a project or company.  So how do you do excellent work and still keep a close eye on the bottom line?  The answer usually lies in the plan. Ben Franklin said, “If you fail to prepare, you're preparing to fail.” Another one of my favorite quotes is from Dwight D. Eisenhower.  He said: “Plans are useless, planning is indispensable.” Very often creative people have a tough time planning or at least following through on their plan. We often get caught up in the multitude of possibilities our creative minds present us with. Instead of deciding on a path, we often wait for some spiritual sign or instinctual guidance to kick in and show us the way. But, what happens when that "sign" never comes?

There is no denying that environment, circumstance and instinct play a major role in creating, but these factors are not a substitutes for having plan.  Like a businessman, an artist must set a goal and evaluate the best path to achieving that goal.  They must evaluate the obstacles on that path and equip themselves with the necessary tools to mitigate those obstacles. The photographer must evaluate subject matter, select lenses and assess lighting before he/she shoots. The artist must anticipate his/her canvas and can’t afford to run out of paint before they’re masterpiece is complete, just as the business person cannot risk running out of time or money. In an ideal world, money would never play a role in art, but I believe time always will.  Many artists have died broke only to achieve extraordinary fame after their death. The question is, did they die happy and fulfilled?  Did they leave this planet yearning for notoriety or was it never part of their plan? Maybe it was just perfection they were truly seeking. The question is, what did they deprive themselves and the world of by remaining true to their quest for “perfect”? 

There’s an old story about Picasso who once invited a gallery curator to his studio to show him his new paintings.  The curator was in awe of what he saw and was looking forward to getting the pieces on display at his gallery.  Picasso told the curator that he was elated by his reaction.  Then, without missing a beat, he grabbed a sharp knife and before the curator could say a word, Picasso sliced each and every painting he proudly had on display that day. Picasso had a realization that despite the curator's positive feedback, the paintings no longer represented him or lived up to his own personal standards. However, as an artist myself, I can tell you that it is the process, not the result, that is the true reward for the creative mind. So, maybe Picasso no longer saw value in his own paintings as he already had the experience of creating them. And maybe he loved those paintings so much that he did not want to share the images that were now captive in his mind and soul. Of course, there’s alway the possibility that Picasso was a consummate perfectionist or maybe he just had a few screws loose. Ultimately you can be the judge, but I believe there’s a very fine line between the two.

So, as I leave you to contemplate the Perfectionist Paradox, think about what is fueling that desire to be perfect. Ask yourself:

• Is it originality or some "higher standard" you are truly seeking?
• Are you concerned about making a "mistake"?
• Is it control you really want? 
  
• Are you comparing yourself to someone that you admire, but feel you cannot yet live up to?
  
• Are you concerned about what others might think or say about you or your work? 
  
• Are you an introvert, secretly seeking attention through your creative voice?
  
• Are you a deep, passionate person who enjoys experimenting with self-expression?
  
• Are you a generous, loving person, who simply wants to share joy with the world in the form of your creations?

These are all good questions, and the likelihood is you answered yes to at least some, if not all of them.  What does this mean? It means that you are not only an artist, you are human.

I think that’s a perfect ending. Or is it? The fact is I have learned that it’s better to be done, than perfect.

You can contact Cory at: 
631-608-4545 • [email protected]
www.coryrosenberg.com