“Perfection is Unattainable: Aim for 80%”…

Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like.

Key Points

* Curb your enthusiasm: producing at 80 percent of your capacity may make you a lot happier

* For a lot of high achievers, performing at 80 percent is still like everyone else’s 120 percent

* Perfection may not be realistic, but achieving “good enough” —the 80 percent mark—certainly is. 

Writing in PLOS Computational Biology, the authors describe “why we are prone to becoming trapped in a cycle of never-ending wants and desires” and suggest “constantly arising aspirations” help in “achieving better performance, but also result in ever-increasing dissatisfaction.”

As one life coach put it, “We need to expect less of ourselves.”

Setting—and achieving—smaller goals can cause the brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes a person feel good—even happy, and boost one’s self-esteem. Higher self-esteem enhances overall mental health. 

— Excerpt, paraphrased from Psychology Today article posted Oct 10 2022, by Alex Dimitriu, M.D. 

I don’t know about you, but I felt relieved and more relaxed just reading this! Just sayin’ :) Hugs and good luck. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl