We can be powerful without being perfect

My colleague Tony made this observation in a discussion last week:

“We can be powerful without being perfect.”

It really struck me as an important concept, one that I need to constantly remember on my journey of life.

Like everyone, I think, I get hung up on the idea of achieving perfection.  Nothing wrong with that – it’s what we’re here for.  But somehow the concept of being imperfect has been linked with powerless.

And when I think of it, the logic is obviously flawed.  The people who have had the most impact on my life have been far from perfect – and in fact, their imperfections are often a reason why they’ve affected me so much.

And the people who are most powerful in the world, in society, in any group you can think of – they’re nowhere near perfect either.  They have certain attributes that I may want to model, but perfect?  No.

So, when you get depressed on how your flaws seem to be holding you back:

You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.

Thanks for that, Tony!