Perfectionism

Is perfectionism a bad thing? Something that some people have that makes them not enjoy everyday's life, something that makes them unhappy, angry or dissatisfied? Or is it the opposite? Or maybe it’s just semantics. Maybe there’s a better word that describes the act of “doing the best you can, in every or some aspects of life” (but only when that drive comes from within, and not to please others).

Charlie Chaplin, Tom Cruise, Stanley Kubrick (picture above), Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley, Coco Chanel, Christopher Nolan, Thom Yorke, Daniel Day-Lewis, Quentin Tarantino, Lady Gaga. There’s something very powerful about the way their work influences others. And me. When I hear their names, I feel a sense of pride about being a human.

Life is solid, raw, unfair, fragile. And when a human, flawed and imperfect, tries to achieve something wonderful, something that most people can’t even conceive of as possible, and he or she succeeds, something happens. We feel the power of humans to transcend our nature. The power to transcend the limits of our existence, even if it’s only for a brief moment. And then comes a warm feeling, like a warm blanket that says: I did it. She did it. He did it. We did it.

We’re all gonna die someday. Let’s make this life count for something. Because if life is all about solving problems, I can’t see the beauty in that. It’s not the kind of beauty I’m looking for. But that’s just me.