"Am I Right or Am I Wrong?"

"The key is letting go of what you think you know. How much of all there is to know in the universe do you know? Since we all know that the percentage is infinitesimally small, why spend so much time and energy trying to be right about so little." 

-Journey to Center, Thomas F. Crum

In our society we are told that we need to be perfect, as Thomas Crum calls it the "Perfection Syndrome". Basing our traits on trying to be perfect yields our ability to discover; our self-esteem, performance, and how we compare models depends on the opinions of others. Leading us to feel this need to perform at a certain level in order to feel okay about ourselves. This whole idea of being perfect blocks our discovery process, that was originally intact when we were born. Our need to discover and not worrying about others gave us the ability to learn. "Self-esteem based upon performance or a model leaves you focused on the outer world and appearance". This constant concern about having to always be perfect begins to make you feel that you are just a bug underneath a magnifying glass. Making you hesitant about stepping out fully into life.

Think about it, when you watch a little kid who falls they laugh and do it all over again; but when a 12 year old falls their cheeks turn red, and feel embarrassed. Because to them that fall demonstrates failure; due to societies outlook on what is right and wrong. But the fall isn't a demonstration of failure it is a way for you to realize that way didn't work, and to try another way, making you more knowledgable over what works and what doesn't. We spend so much time worrying about failing in front of others or not succeeding the first time, that we forget those wrongs make you find out the right. Thomas Edison for instance, was interviewed by a young reporter who asked Edison if he felt like a failure, he replied with "Young man, why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitively over 9,000 ways that an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp." After over 10,000 attempts Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Our world is constantly changing which means Societies idea of "right" is always changing. So why would you try to be "perfect" if it's never consistent, you will always lose. The great leaders that we learn in history class all have something in common, they didn't conform, they didn't care about what the opinions of others were. For the most part people thought of them as failures, or crazy, but if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have some of the most critical things in our society.  Under the "Perfection Syndrome" you tend to go against change, trying to control your environment instead of working with it, just to avoid failure. In the end no matter how successful your life looks on the "trophy shelf" you end up being stressed and burned out. Nothing will ever make you feel accomplished because you're living your life for others rather than yourself.  

"Peak Performance" is when you are able to reach out and discover, using the natural essence of self. The natural essence of self is creativity, inquiry, and aliveness. This is what you should base your life on. Operating from these qualities, rather than perfection where you ask yourself whether you are right or wrong, you ask "what can I learn? What am I feeling? What value am I adding?". These questions lead you to be "Fascinated with the outcomes of your actions. and that fascination gives birth to the key to peak performance- awareness." Such as when a child is learning to walk. Living this way makes you secure in yourself, strengthening your center. The point of living is to learn and grow, and to appreciate what the world has to offer and what you can contribute in response. 

"By being open to discovery, you are taking a courageous step toward resolution."