When You're Expecting Perfection from Others, You're Asking to be Disappointed

Have you ever had one of those moments where everything just seemed perfect? It never seems to last, does it?

What are those perfect moments? How do we create more of them?

We all have a perfect nature, and in a perfect world, every one of us would succeed beyond our wildest dreams. However, we do not live in a perfect world, so we have to manage the imperfection that makes up our day-to-day reality. We have to pursue virtue and ideal outcomes despite living in a world that sometimes seems to reward people who act in bad faith.

We need to develop the character to face reality, to handle whatever challenges are put in front of us, and to overcome them. Part of developing that character is admitting your imperfections to yourself. There may be a lot of qualities that you really don't like in others, that you might give yourself a pass on because you haven't examined your own life the way you scrutinize others. We must do this because otherwise we will be continually disappointed, and that can lead to cynicism. When we close ourselves off in a state of detached cynical disappointment, we are shutting ourselves off from being receptive to those moments of perfect confluence that can propel us to new levels of enjoyment and appreciation. We need those moments to recharge.

Fostering a spirit of acceptance, forgiveness and allowing for people to be redeemed will not only improve your relationships, but it will give you emotional permission to experience those things yourself when others offer them to you. In an imperfect world, we may all face a time when we need each of those things. By striving to create harmony in our relationships and in how we navigate an imperfect world, we are more open, more ready to notice the brief flashes of perfection that we can glimpse if we're ready to see them.

Success in an imperfect world is an imperfect type of success. We want the ideal outcomes and we do what we can to attain them, but if we have a reality-based perspective with well developed character, we'll be naturally suited to achieve the kind of success that affords us those perfect moments of clarity that we're all seeking.

I'd like to invite you to join my private boundaries group where we talk more about topics like this. If you'd like to join me, you can get started here.