Ah! Perfectionism, Perfectionism

"Doug, it doesn't have to be perfect!" I hear the sentence at least twice a week as I navigate the world. It tends to sneak up on me as I act, sing, shoot films, and complete projects. I'm not sure how my ideal perspective on getting things done came to be. I believe it was the competition that used to drive my frustration when I was younger. The competition would cause me to nit-pick all of my techniques/talents and find ways to improve them (sometimes when they didn't need improvement). Honestly, perfectionism hasn't been a problem for me since ninth grade; however, the three day film project brought that side of me back out. When I heard about the first film project, my mind was geared towards the direction of making a film that was worth watching. The project automatically turned into competition, rather then a learning experience. It was fascinating how my frustration with the time constraint fought against my perfectionism as I was completing the project and geared me towards a new outlook on future assignments. Perhaps, the perfectionism causes my brain to judge my techniques in a way that creates a closed mind, petrified of constructive criticism. The project has taught me to think spontaneously with ideas, to not put down any decisions I have unless they are terrible, and to concentrate on my feelings towards the actual project. These perspectives can now apply to my performance career where my ideas on how a character should be played (or what he's thinking) can flow more effectively. A large barrier between competition and my skills should also be set up in order to navigate the world in this way.