Do you struggle with chasing perfection at the cost of real progress?

When I started college as a Computer Engineering major at the University of Maryland, I was determined to keep my 4.0 GPA streak alive. Between tough engineering courses, a Calculus II class with a not-so-great professor, and several honors classes, the workload was tough. Add in the new freedom of campus life, new friends, and new opportunities for involvement. Needless to say, it was a lot.

I had set that 4.0 standard in high school and I planned to continue it. I succeeded… but I was completely stressed and burned out by the end of the semester.

I made a decision that would shape not just my college experience, but my leadership philosophy: I gave myself permission not to be perfect.

Instead of pouring 110% effort into everything, I focused on what mattered most. I still studied hard, but I stopped letting an 88% on an exam feel like failure. I redirected that energy toward the things that truly inspired and motivated me: becoming a Clark School Engineering Ambassador, helping the Peer Leadership Council design leadership programs for undergrads, and working with my fraternity to help raise tens of thousands of dollars for Autism Speaks.

That shift taught me something I’ve carried ever since: Leadership isn’t about maximizing effort in every area, it’s about aligning effort with purpose and passion.

In organizations, the same challenge exists.

Leaders push for excellence, but sometimes confuse perfection with progress. They burn out themselves and their teams chasing metrics that look impressive but don’t actually move the mission forward.

Perfection-driven cultures look productive on the surface. But underneath, they drain energy, stifle creativity, and create fear of failure. The best leaders I know build something different, cultures of clarity, focus, and grace.

Because when people stop striving to be perfect and start striving to be intentional, everything changes. They take smarter risks. They learn faster. And they actually sustain performance over the long term.

If a 4.0, an award, or a promotion is your goal, go after it wholeheartedly. But make sure you know why it matters. Because in leadership and in life, it’s not the spotless record that defines your impact. It’s the meaning you create and the people you uplift along the way.