Are you a perfectionist?

Vaughn I did a painting for color class way back when and it was a Barron moon scape with deep crevices, with the complement [blue and orange] and I painted a chair sitting all alone in the foreground sort of how Joesph Albers would have painted one. I was seated in front on the class while the teach and student give a curtic, Finally someone notices the chair and the teach said what wrong with the chair its dose not look quit right, the land scape and colors all came together perfectly but the chair, what about that. I then stood up and told everyone, Kind of came out of the closet you may say and said; well Man never makes anything perfect only God dose. Things got quite. LOL

dave its kinda fun to set back and watch others carry on about this or that and were setting back knowing different from experience,, and then being asked what we think and with just a few words cut the whole tree they climbed, down... its like your chair story,, you had a reason for it and it was dead on they could refute your words!! just as i have been in similair conversations and they had no where to go but down with the tree

I used to be very tough on myself, but doing it full time for a few years helped 'cure me' to some extent. Things that bothered me seldom bothered buyers, and rarely bothered other woodworkers. I'm still picky, but there has to be a point where 'good enough' is good enough. I think the ability to make that distinction comes with experience.

Unlike most folks though, I look at other people's work just as closely as I do my own. I cringe at some of the things I see people selling.

Kirk Constable said:

I used to be very tough on myself, but doing it full time for a few years helped 'cure me' to some extent. Things that bothered me seldom bothered buyers, and rarely bothered other woodworkers. I'm still picky, but there has to be a point where 'good enough' is good enough. I think the ability to make that distinction comes with experience.

Unlike most folks though, I look at other people's work just as closely as I do my own. I cringe at some of the things I see people selling.

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All that was perfectly put and said Kirk. I think you hit it right on the head.

Here's a question for ya, I am building 2 more table for the church but am not using the same construction techniques and am using sheet good for much of the project. Does this make me less of a perfectionist ?

An wise man once said...

http://www.famous-quotes.net/Quote.aspx?The_perfect_is_the_enemy_of_the_good


or
The perfect is the enemy of the good.


I think it is still very true....

Garry

after giving this some thought, and i don't know if this makes me a perfectionist or not, but if it's not right, it's not right, and if you try to talk yourself into thinking it's right, that just confirms it is not right.

An architect's most useful tools are an eraser at the drafting board, and a wrecking bar at the site.
Frank Lloyd Wright


In my case, I have a very active 'burn pile'

Doesn't really matter what the hobby or job. When you're cursed with it, you're cursed with it. I was for most of my life (real bad), but I solved it by getting old and not really caring what anyone thinks (especially me).

so that is how brent came into the pictureone of the before mentioned traits

Are we still talking perfectionism here

I am not preaching to anyone let me start off with that.

I told Larry I had a story for him about being up front and dealing with issues so I have time to put it on paper.

My home is a corner lot with one house between me and the walk bridge over the creek to the park at the end of the court. A number of years back There were some drug dealers selling their drugs on the walk bridge. One evening there was a 14 year old boy standing on the bridge and I have been seeing him there for a few evening. Finally I walked up to him and told him ; You need to stop dealing , he was a little irate. Then I told him ; I just do not want to come over here and find you with a bullet in your head. That's all I sad and turned around and went home. I did not see him after that. Then a week or 2 later this big really cut black guy maybe 240 solid came walking through and I was standing outside and watched him pass. He turned and said ; what are you looking at? I told him I was just keeping an eye on the area. He said: It's none of your business what I'm doing. I told him OK but I will still keep and eye on the area. He then tore off his T-Shirt turned to me and started walking. I knew I had to do something , but what and quick before he ripped my head off. I had time to walk around my van and asked the Lord for help and the words to say. I emerged from behind the van and he was 10' away I started up to him and he said stop ! I don't know if you know Kung-Fo.... I keep going and put my finger in his face and telling him; Look here...God can give you the Love your mother had for you when you were born if you..........and he started running. WOW where did that come from I thought. Anyway I ran after him but he was quick and gone. It was 2 weeks later I was watching TV and a knock came to the front door. I opened it and there he stood with the 14 year old young man. He said remember me ? I said yep. He said well we have been going to church not dealing drugs any more, he then handed me a track from the Baptist church he was attending. I said that is awesome, we spoke a bit and they left. I never saw him or the boy again but I often think of the 2 and offer up prayers for them when I do.
Being a perfectionist is not something I strive for it is something that I ask the Lord to guide me in , that I preform to the best of my abilities, what He would have me do, be it in my work or in my personal relationship with Him or anyone else I meet.

Thanks for sharing that Dave.