B+

If you struggle with perfectionism, adopting a B+ mentality can break the chains of perfection. You give yourself some space. B+ can be enough. It’s still a good standard. It’s above average. B is good, so B+ is good-on-its-way-to-excellence.

Perfectionists believe excellence should be the only standard, the only goal. That approach helps at times, but it can also be crippling. Adopting a B+ mentality can ease the pressure enough to be able to see the standards can ease at times. And it’s okay.

I’ve seen it happen. I’ve seen people move beyond their perfectionism and begin to discern when to strive for excellence and when to be okay with good. I’ve experienced it personally.

I’ve also seen the exercise held onto for too long. Once B+ becomes the standard for a recovering perfectionist, and they feel the ease of pressure, they can begin to enjoy the freedom and want more. They lower the standard again, and enough becomes defined by whatever is convenient instead of what the situation calls for (and more importantly, what God values and purposes).

Sometimes the easing of standards slips into complacency and justification. Then there is no excellence. The standard becomes self-determined, and others begin to get blamed for having standards that differ. The recovering perfectionist doesn’t recover as much as he or she thinks; the standard for perfection simply becomes “what I determine.”

Know your limits. Know God’s limitlessness. Trust his standards more than your own—whether you tip toward the side of perfectionism or indifference.