The Problem With Perfection.

An Antidote to Stagnancy.

Sisyphus, a man condemned to eternal punishment of pushing a boulder up a hill. A mythological figure that represents an impossible task.

The quest for perfection appears at face value a noble endeavour. Don’t be deceived. With time and experience, it unmasks itself as nothing more than a hampering hindrance. Perfectionism is a misunderstood force in the world—one that presents itself as a virtuous attribute to the aspiring artist whilst paralysing his or her ability to create.

‘In nature, nothing is perfect yet everything finds a way to be’ an Amazonian guide told me once, holding up the lopsided shell of a Brazil nut, voluptuous greenery bursting out from every which way. ‘Everything you see around us is unique, and everything that’s created serves the ecosystem. To us, this may seem like a useless shell, but to other organisms, this is what they rely on. This is everything.’ 

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, I thought, as he chucked it aside and walked on. I imagined a flurry of ants pouncing on it as soon as we turned our backs to its hollow concave, the jungle eating itself.