The Hidden Treasure – Part 6

Perfection

“To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to have changed often.”

–Winston Churchill

Almost every wise man worth his salt has stressed the significance of the journey more than on one’s goal. This is where one gets to face the most significant hurdles, overcome all sorts of objections, and manage the necessary resources. The pursuit of perfection demands a great deal of sacrifice. No wonder, Churchill explained this quest in such simple words.

EDITOR’S NOTE – ENJOY PART 5 AND PRIOR BELOW

The Hidden Treasure – Part 5

Your journey entails continued improvement at each passing moment. In the event you do not see yourself moving forward, just pay attention to your responsibilities. Have you done everything in your power to plan the journey, sought guidance about possible pitfalls, collected, or made arrangements for the necessary resources to be available as and when needed?

Any gaps in-between will likely pose significant problems at a later stage. Such oversight will only result in disappointment. So long as you keep taking consolidated steps in the direction of your goal, each passing day shall bring immense joy signifying your intent.

Let us take into consideration the following words from K.J. Parker: “Every step away from chaos toward perfection accrues merit, no matter what the context and the lines between them are straight.”

K.J. Parker is the pseudonym under which the British author Tom Holt has published fantasy fiction. Parker’s identity as Holt remained secret for 17 years, until April 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._J._Parker

In the above words, we find a clear distinction between chaos and perfection. Staying put where we are is a sure-shot recipe for turmoil, Stepping away from it will be the only way out for us to see improvement with every concerted move.

“Perfection irritates as well as it attracts, in fiction as in life.” – Louis Auchincloss. He was an American lawyer, novelist, historian, and essayist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Auchincloss

Who can deny the fact that perfectionists often irritate others by their higher than usual inquisitive nature? Not only that, it has often been observed that those seeking perfection do tend to dwell far longer on minor details whereas others will just keep moving on.

Considering the above facts, is it justified for us to look at the perfectionists with disdain and/or contempt? I do not think so, because they are also human beings just like us.

Considering the above facts, is it justified for us to look at the perfectionists with disdain and/or contempt? I do not think so, because they are also human beings just like us. The only difference between us lies in their nature to plug any possible leaks before they become uncontrollable. Their tendency to make sure there are no loose ends left in the completion of the tasks assigned to them is by itself a great sign of success.

Please allow me to quote a not-so-well-known 18th-Century author by the name of Wellins Calcott: “Various are men’s dispositions and abilities, and by their different characters, they discover different degrees of perfection.” He was a native of Shropshire, the son of a member of the corporation of Shrewsbury https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Calcott,_Wellins_(DNB00).

I would like to invite your attention to the way the author explains the logic behind various degrees of perfection tied directly to men’s dispositions, abilities, and their different characters. In other words, there is no single parameter of achievement per se. We cannot draw a line and say that every single act beyond this line falls under the category of perfection. What is true, however, is the fact that, an honest, unhampered quest for perfection demands constant improvement across any given field.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” Credit goes for this bold statement to a major force in the sports arena in the modern times. “Vincent Thomas Lombardi is arguably the greatest football coach of all time, and is on the short list of history’s greatest coaches, regardless of sport. His ability to teach, motivate, and inspire players helped turn the Green Bay Packers into the most dominating NFL teams in the 1960s.” http://www.vincelombardi.com/about.html.

The simplicity of the above words lies in the underlying benefits of constant efforts to keep making improvements in our daily life. Each small step, when taken towards the goal, will bring us closer to the ‘hidden treasure.’

 “Producing perfection from imperfection is, after all, the highest of art forms.” This valuable advice comes from “Franklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. (October 8, 1920 – February 11, 1986). He was an American science fiction writer best known for the novel Dune and its five sequels. Though he became famous for his long novels, he was also a newspaper journalist, photographer, short story writer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.” Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Herbert.

All those seeking the ‘hidden treasure’ must put something on the line. The above sentence implores us to sacrifice our imperfections on the altar of perfection, and give our efforts the desired art form. We have already found the way to such a change in the previous quotes that all tell us to usher in constant improvement as a daily habit. It is virtually impossible to make a drastic change overnight, and hence sustainability of the change-process remains a dominating factor. Slow, steady, and constant efforts are the bane of longevity concerning perfection, or excellence at the very least.

“Perfection is the measure of heaven, and the wish to be perfect the measure of the man.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, Statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist, considered the greatest German literary figure of the modern era. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Wolfgang-von-Goethe.

On the above note, we complete our insight into the ‘hidden treasure’ that lies within a comfortable grasp of those willing to take charge and making the necessary moves. Keeping our hopes alive and on the riverbank will never take us to the other shore until and unless we gather the courage to swim across. A more natural way is to make use of a boat, and to steer it in the right direction. A rudderless ship seldom reaches its destination. So long as we nurture a wish to be perfect and work diligently towards this end, we can attain a precise measure of success.

Just to recapitulate, we have covered some of the specific steps that lead us to the ‘hidden treasure.’ Real, lasting, selfless friendship, truth, empathy, honesty, dedication to the cause, and attaining as much perfection as possible, when put together, make an ideal combination. The pace of constant improvement will help us determine how far we can, we should, and we must go in our search for the treasures that start to unravel as a result thereof. The choice is ours, whether to take it or leave it, but the pre-condition is that we must stop blaming others for things that lie within our control.

TRY IT, WHO KNOWS YOU MIGHT LIKE IT A LOT!