The Madness of Perfectionists

Perfection becomes the goal of life itself.

...I remember shaking. My legs were like cotton wool, and those 500 meters took me about half an hour to cross. And I had absolutely no idea how I'd walk in and say it... Already in the elevator somewhere between the 3rd and 7th floor, panic gripped me so completely that I couldn't breathe. Every perfectionist knows this moment — when the fear of 'not good enough' paralyzes the entire body.

When Perfectionism Becomes a Prison

After my first year of university, I fell into depression. I failed an exam in the summer session, was sent to retake it, and my parents spent the entire summer following me around with an 800-page textbook and the words 'Stop going out, sit and study.' In September I retook it and got a perfect score — and following that, continued down the path of straight A's for the sake of straight A's.

Creating a new theory is not like demolishing an old barn and building a skyscraper in its place. It's more like climbing a mountain, which opens new and wider views, showing unexpected connections between our starting point and its broader surroundings.

The Moment Everything Clicked

...One day I woke up and realized something. I'm 30. Many opportunities have been missed — yes, I'll admit it, I regret some things. I regret what I didn't do, didn't try, didn't risk. Because I was always waiting for the right moment. And only now do I understand: the best moment is the one you create yourself.

Done imperfectly is infinitely better than perfect but never started.