Extra Points: Pitching Perfect is Perilous

On Saturday, I had a bunch of buddies over to the house to watch the Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm UFC fight. I admit it…I’m a bit of a front-runner in sports I don’t have rooting interest in, so I’m a Ronda Rousey fan. That’s why I was a fan of Muhammad Ali back in the 1970s. Rousey had been dominant in the sport and unbeaten. At one point prior to this fight, she declared her desire to retire one day unbeaten…perfect. On Saturday night, she was anything but perfect. Holm boxed perfectly and took advantage of Rousey’s aggressiveness and in my opinion, her desperation. Holm shocked the UFC world by knocking out Rousey in the 2nd Round to claim the title.

There is a lot of pressure to being “perfect.” Ask Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari whose undefeated team was knocked off in the title game a few years ago. He said he actually wished they had lost a game in the regular season to eliminate the pressure.

I’ve met and coached many perfectionists in my life and career. There is a very real danger to perfectionism. It’s not noble or a great work ethic; rather it’s the fastest way to failure. Too much internal pressure to be “perfect” in your business dealings (e.g. big sales presentation) or in your personal life (e.g. being the perfect parent or spouse) will lead you to “press” or like Rousey, into desperation mode.

Bottom line – You don’t have to be perfect to be successful, so extricate that from your mindset. Focus on doing the best you can with the knowledge and ability you have. Always look to improve your skills and knowledge, and simply be satisfied with the quest for doing your best that day and that moment. That will ultimately lead you to greater success that you might have imagined.

Quote of the Week:
“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”
~ Og Mandino (American author)

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