What if Imperfection Is a Psychological Strength?

"I've lost track of how many times I've held something back because it felt almost ready—but not quite. That quiet hesitation has shown up throughout my life, especially before releasing a piece of writing or something else I've created. It often feels responsible, even conscientious. And yet, over time, I've begun to wonder whether that pause is always serving my best interests. That question surfaced again recently after a conversation with Rebecca Roach, host of The Academic Imperfectionist, where we spoke about rewilding and wild willpower-restoring our relationship with ourselves and with the living world. After the conversation ended, my attention kept circling back to a word at the heart of her podcast: imperfection. Why, I wondered, does imperfection feel so uncomfortable for so many of us? And why does the state of being almost ready so often feel safer than letting something unfinished enter the world?"

"Modern psychology has offered us powerful tools for growth, self-regulation, and self-improvement. Yet alongside these tools, many of us have absorbed an unspoken message: Refine a little more, fix one last thing, wait until it's right before you share. Research on perfectionism helps explain why this pattern can be so exhausting. Perfectionism is consistently linked to increased anxiety, burnout, depression, and reduced well-being. 1,2 When internal standards become rigid, the nervous system remains on alert-always scanning for what still needs improvement, which undermines recovery and psychological resilience."

Frequent hesitation to release creative work often stems from a feeling that it is almost ready but not quite, which can feel responsible yet limiting. Reflection on rewilding and imperfection raises questions about why imperfection feels uncomfortable and why unfinished work feels unsafe. Modern psychology shows that perfectionism links to anxiety, burnout, depression, and lower well-being. Rigid internal standards keep the nervous system on alert, continually scanning for flaws and undermining recovery and resilience. For many people, the challenge is not lack of ability but a persistent sense that work and identity are not ready to enter the world.

Read at Psychology Today