Visible Brush Strokes

The uncomfortable reality of perfectionism is that it encourages creative-sequestration: if you know you won’t be able to do something well, you’re less likely to try, in order to avoid failure (or less-than-perfection).

This was true in my case, at least. When I was younger I was terrified of coming across as less than I was capable of, and that meant I seldom emerged from my comfort zone. It was a small world I lived in, but everything was where it was supposed to be. A closet-sized room wit...