Perfectionism

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, it seems to be jumping up and hitting me in the face so I figured I'd "talk" it out.

My name is Mikki and I'm a perfectionist...there, I said it.  Is it a good thing?  Well, I think for the most part it is but there is a point where it becomes overpowering and can be a drawback.  Perfectionists see imperfections in their work that no one else would notice with a microscope and by seeing those imperfections as bad they devalue their work and have a hard time sending it out into the world. 
I sometimes wonder if it's a control issue....other things in my life are out of control so I'll be super tight on quality control.  Or a fear issue....what if the imperfections in my work are a glaring window into my personal imperfections? I'm sure both those things are in the mix.
As I sit here I have one of Donna Kato's books in front of me and the super large photos of her polymer beads do show the imperfections on those beads.  The lines aren't quite straight, joinings show, symmetrical beads aren't quite symmetrical....  Does it diminish the beauty of her beads? Hell no! What it does do is tell me I'm being way too critical of those same issues on my own beads.
I think a certain amount of imperfection needs to be embraced, accepted and even glorified. Ok....it's a very little amount....I am a perfectionist after all. But I think we need to realise there will always be chinks in the armor because we're human and it's those chinks that give us, and our work, character and make it our own.
Striving for perfection is a good thing because it's better to fall shy of perfection than to fall shy of mediocrity but insistence on absolute perfection isn't healthy.