Perfectionism is a double-edged sword that can spur us on to reaching for our highest standards while also discouraging us when we cannot achieve our ideals.  Without a doubt, many great musicians are perfectionists.  There is also an abundance of less-talented musicians who are obsessed with reaching goals of an extremely high caliber.  People respond to the demands of perfectionism differently; some thrive upon it and use it to realize maximum performance, while others are beaten down by the difficulty of fulfilling their perfect visions.

I know that I am a perfectionist.  I'm always searching for that "perfect take" in the studio,  the "perfect finish" on a new guitar, or the "perfect sound" when I'm onstage.  What constitutes "perfection" is usually subjective, though we can be burdened by the expectations of others or the fear of not living up to their standards.  My models of perfection do in fact push me to be the best I can be at times.  If I'm having a hard time figuring out a riff or executing a particular phrase in music, my quest for perfection can sometimes push me to reach a higher level of playing and creativity.  (Believe it or not, it can actually be harder to try less and not worry so much about things and just let the music and one's performance flow naturally)

There is a danger, though, that one's striving to be perfect can leave him perpetually unhappy.  Let's face it, nobody is perfect in the sense of always achieving his own ambitions or the ideals of other people. How we react to perfectionism determines whether it has a positive place in our lives.

Perhaps one of the most negative aspects of the pressure to be perfect is when a person feels that they have no chance of attaining a flawless accomplishment, so they don't even make the effort to try.  There have been a number of times when I would think about a topic for these pages here, only to never pursue it because I didn't feel I had the patience or ability to write the "perfect" expression of what I wanted to say. (It didn't stop me this time though )   Likewise, I've got many song ideas floating around that have yet to be realized because I just can't devote "perfect energy" to them.  When a person is paralyzed by a fear of not being perfect, then it stifles creativity and the learning that can occur in life when we make a mistake or don't live up to the ideal.

The downside of perfectionism is compounded when one is trying to reconcile spiritual excellence with material fulfillment.  We have been told since the beginning of time that we have to do certain things in order to receive rewards.  Whether it is some religions doing this, or parents guiding their children as they grow up, there is a certain conditioning humans have which push us to be perfect. (This is not always a bad thing, but it wreaks havoc with some).

Materialistically speaking, perfectionism can drive people nuts.  What about the guy who buys a shiny new sports car only to have a piece of gravel thrown up and ding the front end or crack the windshield?  If he bought the car to achieve a high level of status in order to impress others, he's probably going to feel miserable out of a fear that others will think less of him because the vehicle is not perfect.  That's not to say that people who are not perfectionists can't get upset at some of these things.  Some people, though, let these issues adversely affect them in an unhealthy manner.

I remember a time when I fell in love with a beautiful guitar in a music store.  It was so pretty and sounded so good that I literally dreamt about it for the next few nights.  Guitars don't do that to me very often.  I ended up buying the instrument and taking it home.  I derived a great deal of pleasure from not only playing it, but from simply looking at it.  The finish was immaculate and extremely pleasing to my eyes.  One day, I got tangled up in a guitar cable that was resting on the floor.  Unfortunately, that cable was attached to the guitar and it yanked it off the stand, sending it crashing to the ground.  I didn't even want to pick it up because I was afraid of what I was going to find.

Sure enough, a dent the size of my thumbnail had occurred on the bottom of the guitar.  I was nauseated, to say the least.  All of the value that I had placed on the material beauty of that instrument was proportionately compromised by the ding.  Suddenly, I didn't even want to go near the guitar because I was placing more emphasis on what was wrong with it rather than rationally thinking "It still sounds and plays the same.  If you want perfection in the finish, hang it in a museum where it's not gonna get played or heard."  My mind raced, trying to figure out how it could be fixed.  That would be an expensive proposition and might not even be feasible from a technical standpoint.

Fast forward several years:  The aforementioned guitar has many more dents and scratches on it.  It has been played a lot over the years and has rewarded me like a great guitar should.  I am over that incident and still try to take care of the guitar; but when it gets a new nick, I'm not as affected by it.  Of course, the first dent still aggravates me on a new instrument  (unless we're talking about one beat up from the factory like a Fender Relic )

I was telling this story to a friend of mine at the Fender Custom Shop when I had them build an instrument for me.  He laughed and said "Jason, the first thing you need to do when you get this guitar is throw it down a flight of steps and get it all over with early.  Then go out and play the hell out of it."  I didn't throw it down the steps, but I went through the pain of getting the first scratches on it.  Now I gig with it and use it how it should be used.

Some people hoard instruments and adopt a collector's mentality by shoving them into vaults: trying to preserve a mint condition for investment purposes.  The best thing to do is take them out and play them.  Take care of the instruments, but don't obsess about them.  For me, it's easier said than done, but I do realize the rational aspects of such an approach.  (I mean, after all, if your wife cuts her face shaving and has scratches to show for it, is she suddenly less-perfect? )

From a playing perspective, many musicians reach for the perfection of technical execution or for the perfect emotional expression.   I am not prepared to issue a blanket judgment of the value of such endeavors because everybody is unique and I also deal with these issues in my own playing.  I do believe that it rules some players in a negative way.  There are guitarists out there, some famous, many not, who are so consumed with the perfect tone and perfect phrasing that they come off as egomaniacs with sterile-sounding playing.  By contrast, some guitarists appear nonchalant in their approach to playing and equipment, and they make some very emotionally-satisfying music.

As in so many topics discussed in these writings, I think a balanced approach is the best.  Put the time and effort into your playing it deserves.  Respect the musical process and the physical and mental demands involved.  Remain ambitious and strive for standards that may seem out of your reach in the present.  Often times, reaching for those goals will get us there.  However, it is also a good thing to be relaxed and graceful while not expecting the routine achievement of perfection.  Perfection is a mighty tall order to fill, and if it dictates your happiness, you will be just as disappointed by not reaching it as you are fulfilled when you do.
 

Jason