50+ Quotes About Perfectionism to Keep You Grounded

Being perfect is overrated (unless you're parallel parking). Celebrate your imperfections with these inspiring quotes about perfectionism.

Published August 1, 2024
Perfectionist woman

If you’ve ever tried to fold a fitted sheet, you know that perfection is impossible to achieve. But our silly human brains can get so focused on the pursuit of perfection that we forget to appreciate all the unique and imperfect things that make us, us. In honor of those perfectly imperfect qualities, we have a whole host of perfectionism quotes to keep you motivated when the big “P” is knocking at your door.

15 Funny Quotes About Perfectionism to Lighten the Mood

Being perfect is so last season.

Every day, trying to be perfect — and failing — makes people cry. Inject a little levity into your mood with these funny quotes about perfectionism.

  • I’m 100% certain being perfect isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
  • Being perfect is so last season.
  • I put the purr in perfect.
  • The only perfect thing I aspire to have is a perfect wardrobe.
  • I’ll consider myself perfect when pigs fly.
  • Failing is far more fun than being perfect.
  • Perfection is like an ex. You fantasize about it, but the reality isn’t even half as good.
  • The only perfect thing I want in my life is a perfectly toasted marshmallow.
  • My work may not be perfect, but it sure looks pretty!
  • Perfection is the mood killer no one asked for.
  • The only perfect thing I’m craving is a perfectly cooked steak.
  • There’s a reason it’s called a perfect storm — it can wreak havoc on your life.
  • If I had a nickel for every time I was perfect at something, I’d have zero nickels.
  • Once you reach perfection, there’s nothing left to do, and I don’t want that much time on my hands.
  • A procrastinator’s drug of choice is perfectionism.

Related: 101 Encouraging Quotes About Hard and Tough Times

15+ Inspirational Quotes About Perfectionism to Keep You Motivated

I’m as perfect as a broken clock that’s right twice a day.

Some of us can’t help it — we want perfection, and nothing else. If that pursuit has you feeling down, turn to these inspirational quotes about perfectionism to keep your eye on the prize.

  • You can’t fail at being perfect if you never try to be.
  • I’m as perfect as a broken clock that’s right twice a day.
  • Trying to be 100% perfect is a fool’s errand.
  • Being perfect is like winning the lottery. Everyone thinks you’ve got it made, but it can ruin your life.
  • Remember, there’s a long way to fall after you’ve reached perfection.
  • If everyone was perfect, we wouldn’t have penicillin, Velcro, or the microwave!
  • We’re all a little perfectly imperfect.
  • Perfection is overrated.
  • At the root of perfection is the death of self-esteem.
  • You can’t evolve if you never make mistakes.
  • The most liberating realization is that a perfect day can’t exist.
  • The only definition of perfection I live by is my own.
  • Someone’s already filled the role of “practically perfect in every way.” I’ll settle for perfectly average, thank you very much.
  • There’s power in admitting that you’ll never reach perfection.
  • The endless pursuit for perfection will eat you alive.
  • Achieving perfection teaches you nothing, but making mistakes can teach you everything.

10 'The Only Thing Perfect About Me' Captions to Make Your Followers Chuckle

The only thing perfect about me is my perfect credit score.

Everyone loves a quippy caption, and these celebrating your perfect qualities are sure to make your followers chuckle.

  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect score.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect smile.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect attendance.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect record.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect personality.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfectly imperfect body.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect SAT scores.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my ability to make a perfect martini.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my ability to parallel park 100% of the time.
  • The only thing perfect about me is my perfect credit score.

Related: 45 'You Got This' Quotes to Make You Want to Take on the World

10+ Famous Perfectionism Quotes

Perfection, in anything, is unbearably dull. Myself, I prefer a touch of imperfection. — Colleen McCullough, The Thorn Birds

You’re not the first person to ponder perfectionism. These perfectionism quotes come from the mouths of the writers and lyricists we all know and love.

  • “Mary Poppins. Practically perfect in every way.” — Mary Poppins
  • “Cause we lost it all / and nothin’ lasts forever / I’m sorry I can’t be perfect” — Simple Plan, Perfect
  • “Perfection is a stick with which to beat the possible.” — Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities
  • “The true perfection of man lies, not in what man has, but in what man is.” — Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man Under Socialism
  • “Well, nobody’s perfect.” — Some Like It Hot
  • “Perfection, in anything, is unbearably dull. Myself, I prefer a touch of imperfection.” — Colleen McCullough, The Thorn Birds
  • “If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.” — Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
  • “You’re not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you’ve met, she’s not perfect either.” — Good Will Hunting
  • “I’m tired of perfect, I want real.” — Encanto
  • “Perfection belongs to narrated events, not to those we live.” — Primo Levi, The Periodic Table
  • “When something seems too perfect, it’s usually anything but.” — The Umbrella Academy
  • “If you’re always aiming for perfection, you won’t make anything at all.” — Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Show Perfectionism Who’s Boss

It’s far easier to talk about setting perfectionism aside than it is to do it. Use these quotes about perfectionism to find the humor in your fight against it or use one of our quotes as a daily mantra to kick it to the curb. Either way, imperfection is here to stay — just the way we like it.

50+ Quotes About Perfectionism to Keep You Grounded