Dear Doctor,
This weekend’s Winners Circle event in the Pacific Northwest was a rousing
success, running the gamut from reveling in extraordinary natural splendor to
profound personal introspection and growth.
From whitewater rafting on the White Salmon River to the outstanding
presentation by budding superstar Dr. Sue Morter, opportunities for insight,
breakthrough and fun abounded.
One of the philosophical themes woven through the program was the concept of
flow – whether fighting the current in the rapids, marveling at the raw power of
Multnomah Falls, or sensitizing ourselves to the authenticity of making right
decisions and taking right actions, capitalizing on the inherent movement of
life provided not only an enjoyable and exciting on-the-spot experience, but a
relevant metaphorical perspective that allows us to tap into the essence of
intentional living.
There were many distinctions to be gleaned, from harnessing the immense thrust
of the river to learning to direct the equivalent strength of our intentions
when applied appropriately, but one point that stuck out for me was Dr. Morter’s
differentiation between perfection and perfectionism.
Being out on the river, with the divine order of people, boats and the earth
acting in harmony for the betterment and pleasure of all – well, that’s
perfection. The rhythm, the motion, the spectacular scenery, the challenge of
mastering the universal forces at work, and the thrill of victory and
exhilaration, not at the expense of the water but in concert with it, added up
to a spiritual or cosmic unfolding of our own sense of humanity and our position
in the grander scheme of things. Indeed, we find it everywhere we look, and when
what we see doesn’t seem so perfect to us, it’s only because we haven’t
recognized the perfection of Nature’s plan, mostly due to limitations in our own
perception.
But perfectionism, that’s something else entirely. Sue points out that
perfectionists are actually imperfectionists – in other words, they need to find
the things that are wrong and try to fix them to create their imagined version
of perfection. This distorted focus flies in the face of what those who are
dialed into the innate flow of life know – that things are as they should be,
and that points of disparity that seem to make the conditions “worse” are often
ultimately proven necessary.
Like cutting the cocoon away only to discover that then the butterfly never
forces the fluid into his wings to activate them, trying to make things
“perfect” not only wastes energy, it too often interferes with the intrinsic
design -- things may look “wrong” along the way, but when the process goes to
completion, then the correctness of that design manifests as real perfection.
We’ve all thought that some occurrence was bad, only to later realize why it had
to be, helping us avoid a pitfall we couldn’t anticipate or paving the way for a
benefit we wouldn’t otherwise have enjoyed. As Neale Donald Walsch reminds us, a
Master prefers what occurs.
Such is the flow of life – ride it, whether you’re rafting, practicing, or
working toward painting your masterpiece. And don’t mistake perfectionism for
perfection – the latter makes the former obsolete.
Dr. Dennis Perman, for The Masters Circle
PS If you want to get to the next level and you could use some help, join us in
Chicago for “Solving the Puzzle of Profitability,” featuring world renowned
business expert Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth series. You can run a
better business, ethically and honestly! To find out more or to register, please
call 800-451-4514 or go to
www.themasterscircle.com. See you there!
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