“What do you say is your greatest weakness?”
I remembered this question very well. It happened to me during an interview at one of the companies I applied for. I am trying my luck to be hired for an internship opportunity in the bustling streets of Metro Manila as part of our university curriculum.
I came prepared for the interview process. I watched tips on different platforms on how to answer the questions properly, I did my research on how I can effectively convey my answers, and I have already lost count of how many times I rehearsed the answers verbally and internally. But even though I expected the question to come, it still caught me off guard.
What is the best way to answer this question?
Should I say something safe just in case? Something that sounds like weakness but is not a real one that describes me? Is lying the best option? Should I tell them that I often struggle with time management, or sometimes I procrastinate? A lot of overthinking happens in just a span of time. In the end, I chose to tell the truth. A character trait and habit that resonates within me. I chose to let them see who I really am.
“I am the type of person who tends to spend a lot of time on one task. Not because I am having a difficult time finishing what is assigned to me, but because I can be a kind of perfectionist. I want everything to be perfectly in place, small details become a big deal. I cannot convince myself to be satisfied if I feel like something is not sitting right within my taste. Which results in an unsatisfying cycle and delays.”
It was a genuine answer and a clever one actually. But one thing I realized since then is that perfectionism is not helping me at all; instead, it is quite the opposite. It is holding me back.
I am not a changed person. I am still that guy who keeps spending a lot of time to accomplish something. It’s a constant dilemma I don’t know how to fix. Like here on Hive. Writing a blog post takes me a while to construct. I need every concept I can muster, the exact flow I want the blog to run, the grammar should be proper for the readers without losing the essence of my individuality, and most of the time, the creation of the thumbnail.
Did you know that I often edit my thumbnail designs multiple times just because I cannot find myself to be satisfied?
I always find something to tweak, change position, choose a better color palette that suits the overall content, and rearrange elements. A simple task takes me hours to complete, just because something about it doesn’t feel right, yet. It’s like I cannot be easily contented with the outcome I am trying to reach. The standard I visualize is one that only I can see.
The funny thing is, it’s not always about impressing you or impressing other people to complement my work. It’s not about getting praise. Most of the time, it’s just me trying to meet the invincible standard I’ve set for myself. A standard that no one asked for, a standard that I have no idea where it came from.
This habit or mindset can be a great strength and a weakness. I care about the quality of what I publish, of what I submit, of what I offer. I pay attention to details that other people might overlook. But personally, it’s paralyzing and causing too much burnout. Investing too much time polishing one corner of a room while the rest remains untouched is exhausting.
I’ve been learning to shift this mindset. It will not be easy for sure. Slowly but surely, I am embracing the idea that it’s better to have something done than perfect. Progress matters more than polish. It is still worth putting something out there even if it doesn’t look like a grand masterpiece. After all, there is no such thing as 100% achievable. There’s always a part of that percentage that is a flaw, a vulnerability. And if I keep polishing things over and over and over again, then I think I will be forever stuck in a cycle of revision to the point that it will be difficult for me to get out.
I guess this blog is also a part of that process.
Learning to let go.
Writing this took time for me, you know? Haha. But I’m still proud that I’m even sharing a part of my imperfect self with you all.
If you are like me, if you can see yourself in the same situation as me, then I hope this reaches you, too. It’s a reminder that flaws don’t erase our value. From what I read somewhere, done is not only better than perfect… It’s brave.