You are NOT Perfect

You are NOT Perfect
And That’s Exactly the Point

Let’s say it plainly: you are not perfect. You never have been. You never will be. And thank God for that.

Somewhere along the way, many of us started chasing perfection like it was the ultimate goal—as if our worth depends on spotless performance, flawless choices, and the ability to meet every expectation placed on our shoulders. We think we need to have the perfect job, the perfect body, the perfect relationship, the perfect past, and the perfect plan for the future. When we fall short—and we all do—we feel like failures. But maybe... just maybe... falling short isn’t a flaw. Maybe it’s where growth begins.

I’ll be honest. I’ve battled with the idea of perfection myself. I’ve looked back on decisions I wish I could change, moments I wish I had handled better, words I wish I had never said, or chances I wish I had taken. There are times I’ve looked in the mirror and thought, “You should have done more. Been more. Said less. Fixed it. Made it work. Got it right.”

But here’s the truth I’ve come to embrace: perfection is a myth we’ve bought into, and it’s robbing us of the beauty of being real. Our struggles, our failures, our stumbles—they’re not evidence of weakness. They’re the fingerprints of humanity. They are the building blocks of resilience, compassion, growth, and wisdom. If we were perfect, we wouldn’t need grace. We wouldn’t know how to forgive or how to receive forgiveness. We wouldn’t understand mercy, or patience, or humility. And without those things, we wouldn’t be capable of truly loving others or even ourselves.

I think about how we treat people who fall apart or make mistakes—how quick we are to judge, especially in a culture obsessed with curated highlight reels and filtered perfection. But real life isn’t airbrushed. It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s trying again when you’re tired. It’s showing up when you feel unworthy. It’s apologizing and learning and growing and sometimes still screwing up. And yet, there’s still beauty in it.

You are not perfect. And you don’t have to be. Your worth doesn’t come from how flawless your life looks on the outside. It comes from who you are on the inside—your heart, your integrity, your willingness to keep going even when it’s hard. You are allowed to be a work in progress. You are allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to heal at your own pace. And you are allowed to be proud of how far you’ve come, even if you’re not where you thought you’d be.

Let’s stop pretending that perfection is the prize. It isn’t. Presence is. Grace is. Growth is. Being brave enough to live authentically, even when you’re unsure or afraid—that’s what matters.

So the next time you catch yourself thinking, “I should have been better,” try reminding yourself: “I’m still becoming.” And that’s more than enough.

With grace,
Dr. Nick