Hi! Welcome to the 4 CreativeWheels newsletter — your weekly dose of insights on creativity and fuel for your creative journey.

Here we are, week #36! We're approaching the midpoint of 2025. And only 4 weeks remain to reach the 40-week milestone. So far, so great. Not everything was perfect, but progress has been made.

Talking about perfection, in this week issue, we explore a topic that relates to creatives and humans in general. We'll talk about perfectionism.

"Maybe with this color, it will be nicer," you thought.

"Perhaps if I take this and replace it with that, it will be better," you pondered a few minutes prior.

Such thoughts are common in the lives of those who "struggle" with perfectionism. Yes, I did put struggle in quotation marks. Perfectionism is not a struggle, it's bliss.

Without further ado…

Let’s start the ride!

Main Wheel

"Maybe with this color, it will be nicer," you thought.

"Perhaps if I take this and replace it with that, it will be better," you pondered a few minutes prior.

Such thoughts are common in the lives of those who "struggle" with perfectionism. Yes, I did put struggle in quotation marks. Perfectionism is not a struggle, it's bliss.

Society's view on perfectionism is flawed. I find it to be detrimental. We have married the pursuit of excellence with many other issues that can be related to it, but are genuinely not. We have forgotten what the pursuit of excellence truly takes and asks.

This is something I've been thinking and reflecting on. I know this thought is unpopular. It goes against everything that has been said and discussed on perfectionism. When we talk about perfectionism, the conversation revolves around how to cure it or beat it. Perfectionism is seen as a handicap.

When you dig deeper, the problems we associate with perfectionists are problems that people have, but do not deal with them. Instead, they use, hide, or take perfectionism as a coping mechanism, an excuse, or a reason for the issues they need to address in themselves and their lives.

Many who identify as perfectionists are not actually perfectionists. They are not genuinely in the pursuit of excellence. They are in the pursuit of filling or fixing something in them, without going to the real root cause. They are people who feel that, no matter what they do, they are not enough. They feel inadequate. They do not gain pleasure in the continuous pursuit of improvement.

They do not find the pursuit of excellence to be fulfilling. Whenever they are working on being great, they feel that they are compensating for their lack of value. The perpetual aspect of reaching excellence exhausts them. They hate the pain it causes.

There is no shame or problem in having such feelings or experiences. If the pursuit of excellence is detrimental to you and you find it to be detrimental, by all means, reevaluate its place in your life. And if it's better to drop it, it would be for the best to do so.

We are all imperfect. We will never be perfect, no matter how great our efforts are. Furthermore, not everyone has to be great. Our value as human beings is not in our performances. We all have inherent value just by being humans.

Nevertheless, not everyone dislikes the pursuit of excellence. And not everyone desires to stop reaching for it. Perfectionists, those who truly desire to reach excellence, understand that they are enough. They can have fears and doubts, but their foundation is not based on those fears and doubts. Perfectionists understand that failure is necessary.

They keep [and love] taking reps and learn from their mistakes. They want to be among the greats. They find pleasure in the process. They don't always enjoy it, but comprehend that it cannot always be sunshine and rainbows. Yes, they are in pursuit of excellence; they aim to reach perfection. However, they do understand that it's out of reach.

The unhealthy part is not in the constant chase of improvement. The unhealthy part is to do it for the eyes of others and not for your own well-being. The unhealthy part is equating your worth to your performance. The unhealthy part is to forget that rest is an essential part of the process of excellence. No rest equals no progress. Last but not least, the unhealthy part is when you detest failure and do not see it as feedback that will help you grow.

Athletes such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Usain Bolt, Novak Djokovic, Simone Biles, and many more are perfectionists. All the greats, in whatever field, are perfectionists. They desire to always be the best versions of themselves. They work to attain excellence. And still, they are healthier than most of the population.

The [true] perfectionists find meaning in striving for more and exceeding their own expectations of themselves. The unattainable goal is what makes this journey fun. It's a game they can keep playing as it's never-ending. They embrace whatever comes. And they stop or pivot when they know that they can no longer grow beyond a certain point. They will go and find an area of their lives they care about and start the process again. And, of course, they know everything can't look perfect.

I find no problem in being a perfectionist. I desire to be one because I want to be one of the greats. I know that I am not yet where I aim to be. I'm not at that level yet. However, I appreciate and accept my current state. I believe that there is always room for improvement. And I look forward to exploring those areas of improvement.

Every experience is an asset in the pursuit of excellence, especially setbacks. Failure is feedback. That feedback will turn into knowledge. And that knowledge will help you improve. You cannot want to be great and refuse to learn. To be great requires the willingness to learn whenever you can.

The pursuit of excellence, greatness, and even perfection is an exploration of what can be. It's not about being perfect. It's about being open to dare greatly. There will be lows and shortcomings. There will be highs and triumphs. The destination does not matter. It's the journey that surely does.

The pursuit of excellence is not wrong. Perfectionism is not unhealthy. It just depends on one's approach and core reasons. And it's pretty normal not to understand it. It's one of those things that if you do not have it, you will never get it.

Therefore, to those who find fulfillment in that pursuit, keep going, know that perfection is a facade, but you'll be piercing whatever limits you have had. Keep enjoying the experience because there is bliss in perfectionism.

Inspiring Wheels

Here are two (or more) creative works that you’ll not regret checking out:

• "The Hidden Cost of Sharing Your Art Online" - byRolands | This is a great and creative video that addresses a struggle that many creatives face in our current digital world. 6 minutes worth watching.

• "The Big 'What If' | A story about self doubt" - Caro | An encouraging video that tackles the topic of self-doubt in a simple but wholesome way.

Want to share this issue of 4CW with a friend, colleague,… any human being? Just copy and paste this link: https://4creativewheels.beehiiv.com/p/may-15-2025 😉 😃

Thank you so much for reading! 

As always, feel free to reply to this email & share your thoughts, stories, and any experience related to this topic. I’d love to hear them!  

C ya next Week! 

Embracing Creativity™,

Richard M.

Want to work with me? Contact me here