Do you struggle with 'perfectionism'?

[Solunar Silver Studio]

When we make something beautiful, we know every step that went into it - every triumph, every mistake...and if something is less than perfect in our mind, the little fault is all we see...despite the fact that our creation is beautiful to everyone else...

Does that sound familiar...

I'm suffering a bit of a 'crisis of confidence' here..and I need some advice...

How do you go about quelling that little voice in your mind that tells you your latest piece of work (as well as many others) is not up to scratch?

Barbara

[Atelier Ava]

I had the same discussion with a group of jewellers the other night. We are doing a critic on each others work and I said my worst fear was showing my work to other jewellers because I am not a perfectionist.
Generally people who buy jewellery look at a piece and if they love it they will buy it. Only you know if it is not quite perfect and also if something is hand made it wont turn out like a manufactured item which has gone through a machine process and been mass produced.
I have no problem with my lack of perfectionism and with confidence you should turn it to your advantage because the charm of a piece is the love and care you put into it and people appreciate that. One thing though that I have discovered is that the longer you make, the better and more 'perfect' your work becomes.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Paula

[MuranoSilver]

Lol - no Paula your not a perfectionist at all
I've seen your gorgeous work.....
Come on admit it & join us in perfectionists anonymous!!
nic xx

[Atelier Ava]

I was just protesting to my son that I am not a perfectionist and he said that I was but in my own way. I suppose that I have just learnt over time not to worry tooo much about my work and its imperfections because only me and experts can see them.
Mmm, I still dont think I can join perfectionists anon just yet . My ex was a perfectionist and it ruled his life to the point where it held him and me back from achieving, thats why I fight the term.
Paula xx

[The Bijou Dragon]

Oh boy yes! I am beyond the pale when it comes to perfection I never thing anything of mine is good enough to sell EVER!

Also I can't bring myself to price things realistically... I do, I charge what's right after working it all out but then I get upset because *I* wouldn't pay that much for it because it's not quite round or the beads are slightly smaller than others etc etc etc.

I very often want to throw it all in the bin tools and all because I can't cope with it

... and yet if I put something away and look at it a few months later I wonder what I was so upset about as it looks lovely and the latest piece is rubbish and should never ever be seen by anyone else...

Repeat ad nauseum!

[bustagasket]

Oh boy yes! I am beyond the pale when it comes to perfection I never thing anything of mine is good enough to sell EVER!

Also I can't bring myself to price things realistically... I do, I charge what's right after working it all out but then I get upset because *I* wouldn't pay that much for it because it's not quite round or the beads are slightly smaller than others etc etc etc.

I very often want to throw it all in the bin tools and all because I can't cope with it

... and yet if I put something away and look at it a few months later I wonder what I was so upset about as it looks lovely and the latest piece is rubbish and should never ever be seen by anyone else...

Repeat ad nauseum!

I am not good at what i do yet (i will pluck up the courage to show you what i have done so far one day, maybe when i get a website up lol) but with all my crafting i never think people will pay for it, even when it has taken me hours and i only charge to cover the cost of the materials the most i add for labour on anything is £5 and never really charge anything on cards

[Petal]

I totally agree with all the comments so far.

A customer came to collect and try on her jewellery she had ordered last night, and not only bought some more of my jewellery, but said she liked other stuff too! I thought , you really want to buy my stuff ?? there's this crimp bead that needs re-doing and these beads don't quite match up and that necklace should be a bit shorter etc etc. I am sooooo critical of my work that there are times (like, the night before), when I said I didn't think I was good enough to do jewellery any more and its not for me, I'm no good, no jewellery qualifications, how can I have a business card with my name on! I'm a fraud!!!

Perhaps we just have to ignore our 'inner voice' always criticising and accept that we have done the very best we can and just 'let it be', instead of beating ourselves up over things. Otherwise we'll always be disappointed with what we have achieved, won't we!

I think this calls for a oh yes and a big bar of chocolate to make ourselves feel better, but its got to be green and blacks, cos we only like the best! Oh yes, and I'd like to apply to join perfectionists anojn - when's the first meeting, so we can all help each other to succeed?

Jules xxx

[Ominicci]

Yay me too, ('I agree' smiley needed) with Jules.

I also have a business card with my name on it, money sat in the account, a half finished website, business cards, no jewellery quals... and I haven't even sold anything yet You got one up on me there Jules!

[AlexandraBuckle]

I find that customers think that pieces match each other when I don't consider them to be a matching set.

To them the pieces match because the beads are the same, but to me the wire shape is completely different and I'd never put them together!

I always feel like saying - nooo they're not designed to be worn together! (And then I think of the extra sale and stop myself - if they are happy who am i to be so fussy! )

[Lindyloo]

Well, all you guys who are actually selling things are way up on me. After joining this forum I have realised that compared to you all, I am totally inexperienced and held back by my fear of failure.

That's why I chose to teach children, because they are so non-critical. They don't see my faults, they just think I'm amazing. I show them my jewellery and they just look in awe!

I would just love to sell jewellery of my own. And I have this lovely dream where I open a little workshop in my back yard, and have the occasional open studio day when tourists, locals etc. would admire my workmanship and buy all my oh-so-organic pieces!

But in my mind, this is only a dream. And where would I get the money to do it, and what if my jewellery broke, and they came back with it and said it was my fault, and what if they didn't buy anything anyway, and what if no-one even came through my door?