Self improvement versus self acceptance solved

[Eric Tarpall]

What most people mean by self acceptance is believing that you're perfect just the way you are. That's a trap. You're not perfect. If you think you're perfect there won't be any desire within you to do self improvement. The proper way to do self acceptance is not by deluding yourself to think that you're perfect. But by accepting that you're not perfect. Accept your weakness, stupidity and inferiority. It can be painful to accept how low down the totem pole you are. But you gotta start somewhere. You can become "perfect" but it takes work. Are you gonna strive for perfection? I am.

[bejapuskas]

But striving for perfection is also a trap. You can become excellent at your field, contribute society, but by craving perfection, you will go mad, there is always someone, who is better than you at something.

[Eric Tarpall]

6 minutes ago, bejapuskas said:

by craving perfection, you will go mad, there is always someone, who is better than you at something.

You don't necessarily have to crave perfection. You can enjoy slow progress. And if someone's better than you that's okay. You will surpass them eventually.

[Pilgrim]

9 minutes ago, bejapuskas said:

 

But striving for perfection is also a trap

 

totally agree. 

12 minutes ago, Eric Tarpall said:

accepting that you're not perfect

but I agree as well with you. 

I guess the solution was found in 1951: accepting what you cannot change, changing what you can and being wise enough to know the difference. 

[Hello from Russia]

I think there must be a distinction that perfection is a relative notion and always depends on a context. Unless we are talking about absolute

[Pilgrim]

Yes that's true.. but the higher the complexity of something the more difficult it would be to reach a degree of perfection. It's rather easy to make a perfect quiche.. you know what ingredients go in, how it's supposed to taste like and can experiment until you reach the best outcome. But with raising kids or for job performance or anything like that.. what is the reference? It could always be better.. there good enough should be enough But I like your thought 

[bejapuskas]

21 hours ago, Eric Tarpall said:

You don't necessarily have to crave perfection. You can enjoy slow progress. And if someone's better than you that's okay. You will surpass them eventually.

Why would you want to surpass them?