--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's been years that I'm striving for…" description: "\"It's been years that I'm striving for perfection but I found out I can't\" — Cath Chatto" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg" --- # It's been years that I'm striving for perfection but I… ![“It's been years that I'm striving for perfection but I found out I can't” quote by Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg) > “It's been years that I'm striving for perfection but I found out I can't” [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker realizes that relentless pursuit of perfection is unattainable and must accept imperfection. **In simple terms:** Perfection is impossible; accept flaws. Key Takeaway Embrace imperfection. Themes self‑acceptance growth realism Mood reflective hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - creative work - relationships - mental health Key Concepts human limitation self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - What would you achieve if you stopped chasing perfection? - How can you measure success without perfection? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can still drive progress despite its impossibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Striving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving/) [Striving for perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving-for-perfection/) ## Related quotes > [I tend to get caught up in striving for perfection and not so much the accepting excellence part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-tend-to-get-caught-up-in-striving-for-perfection-and-not-so-much/) [Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/) > [Learn the difference between striving for excellence and striving for perfection. The first is attainable; the second is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-merrill/learn-the-difference-between-striving-for-excellence-and-striving-for/) [Douglas Merrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-merrill/) > [“Striving for perfection can get in the way during the early stages of the creative process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kelley/striving-for-perfection-can-get-in-the-way-during-the-early-stages-of/) [David Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kelley/) > [Striving for excellence is a positive quality. Striving for perfection is self-defeating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/striving-for-excellence-is-a-positive-quality-striving-for-perfection/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [We are beautifully imperfect beings, operating in a very imperfect world, and that is just the way it is meant to be. Striving for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/we-are-beautifully-imperfect-beings-operating-in-a-very-imperfect/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [It says no one is perfect. BUT I find it V mst eep striving for perfection becoz somewhere thru the journey V achieved excellence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nickz/it-says-no-one-is-perfect-but-i-find-it-v-mst-eep-striving-for/) Nickz > [“Striving for perfection is wasteful if excellence is good enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sonnenberg/striving-for-perfection-is-wasteful-if-excellence-is-good-enough/) [Frank Sonnenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sonnenberg/) > [Don't waste your time striving for perfection; instead, strive for excellence - doing your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-olivier/don-t-waste-your-time-striving-for-perfection-instead-strive-for/) [Laurence Olivier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-olivier/) > [I probably do have an obsessive personality, but striving for perfection has served me well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/i-probably-do-have-an-obsessive-personality-but-striving-for/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [There is no such thing as the perfect picture. That's the challenge of photography. I was always striving for perfection, even though I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-stern/there-is-no-such-thing-as-the-perfect-picture-that-s-the-challenge-of/) [Phil Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-stern/) > [I always had the sense that nothing was never good enough - striving for perfection. My mother and I had a sort of typical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-hamill/i-always-had-the-sense-that-nothing-was-never-good-enough-striving/) [Dorothy Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-hamill/) > [Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is. You'll be afraid you can't achieve it. It's your excuse to yourself for not doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-olivier/striving-for-perfection-is-the-greatest-stopper-there-is-you-ll-be/) [Laurence Olivier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-olivier/) > [“We must have the courage to be imperfect while striving for perfection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-t-holland/we-must-have-the-courage-to-be-imperfect-while-striving-for-perfection/) [Patricia T. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-t-holland/) > [Consciously or unconsciously, we are all striving for perfection. Every being must attain to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/consciously-or-unconsciously-we-are-all-striving-for-perfection-every/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [There's no such thing as Perfection. But, in striving for perfection, we can achieve excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/there-s-no-such-thing-as-perfection-but-in-striving-for-perfection-we/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) ## More by Cath Chatto > [Who said we take drugs? we're just lacking fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/who-said-we-take-drugs-we-re-just-lacking-fate/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Friends may come and they go but when you really burried that friendship thousand walls or hundred miles,you could still feel them inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/friends-may-come-and-they-go-but-when-you-really-burried-that/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I walked 10 miles in this dark road but still,i didn't still see the ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-walked-10-miles-in-this-dark-road-but-still-i-didn-t-still-see-the/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [W'ere not gonna fall nor fail our help was always there..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/w-ere-not-gonna-fall-nor-fail-our-help-was-always-there/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [When the world ends on its place you'll finding me holding out to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/when-the-world-ends-on-its-place-you-ll-finding-me-holding-out-to-you/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Failures and faults can lead us to this right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/failures-and-faults-can-lead-us-to-this-right-way/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I'm so turn off w/ my mothers's sermon grr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-m-so-turn-off-w-my-mothers-s-sermon-grr/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Im not be the best that you want me to be for now, but later you'll see me standing w/ applause and you'll say,you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/im-not-be-the-best-that-you-want-me-to-be-for-now-but-later-you-ll/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Refusing someone you love is horrible,it's like clenching your fist till it bleed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/refusing-someone-you-love-is-horrible-it-s-like-clenching-your-fist/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Looking into our wanted things is like a perfect one,though people tell you that t'was wrong,but you still and always look in it like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/looking-into-our-wanted-things-is-like-a-perfect-one-though-people/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Trashing blood upon my hands feeling guilty for what i've done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/trashing-blood-upon-my-hands-feeling-guilty-for-what-i-ve-done/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I count everything as if,it'll make me better,though it crushed me so hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-count-everything-as-if-it-ll-make-me-better-though-it-crushed-me-so/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [Time gives space to heal again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/time-gives-space-to-heal-again/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I learn that people would just love you because of your best and perfections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-learn-that-people-would-just-love-you-because-of-your-best-and/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I could love you like never to be return because that's the way I loved you for a second turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-could-love-you-like-never-to-be-return-because-that-s-the-way-i/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) [Explore all 154 Cath Chatto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) ## More Imperfection quotes > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [You know why you're not perfect? You do everything perfectly and you think you are perfect, but the mere fact that you think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-why-you-re-not-perfect-you-do-everything-perfectly-and-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Try spelling that, lol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/try-spelling-that-lol/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/the-seed-of-your-next-artwork-lies-embedded-in-the-imperfections-of/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [Silence tells the seeker in us to love, to love himself. It tells us it is wrong to hate ourselves because of our imperfections.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/silence-tells-the-seeker-in-us-to-love-to-love-himself-it-tells-us-it/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [Laugh at every mistakes and realize that no one is perfect. We are human. All of us are imperfect, so there's no point judging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laugh-at-every-mistakes-and-realize-that-no-one-is-perfect-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Earth life is giant field day where we willingly choose the limitation of racing with both feet in a potato sack, or sometimes we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-mclaren/earth-life-is-giant-field-day-where-we-willingly-choose-the/) [Kaya McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-mclaren/) > [I decided to lock myself in. A forced segregation. Sabbatical. A retreat into myself. My selves. Play hide and go seek in the looking-glass.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/i-decided-to-lock-myself-in-a-forced-segregation-sabbatical-a-retreat/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [I might not have the perfect teeth, The biggest boobs, The nicest butt, The sexiest tan, Or the best hair.. but I'm me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-bennett/i-might-not-have-the-perfect-teeth-the-biggest-boobs-the-nicest-butt/) Hannah Bennett > [In an attempt to hinder, if not altogether halt, the next move of God, Satan has sent forth an army of faultfinding demons against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-frangipane/in-an-attempt-to-hinder-if-not-altogether-halt-the-next-move-of-god/) [Francis Frangipane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-frangipane/) > [Do I have bad days? Absolutely. But there are ways to overcome these things and that's perhaps what I do differently: I don't allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-renn/do-i-have-bad-days-absolutely-but-there-are-ways-to-overcome-these/) [Crystal Renn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-renn/) > [I have never meant a person that was perfect. We all make mistakes. Even the people that think they're perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-never-meant-a-person-that-was-perfect-we-all-make-mistakes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your desire for perfection is the cause of anger. Leave room for imperfection. Perfection in action is almost impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/your-desire-for-perfection-is-the-cause-of-anger-leave-room-for/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [“Mental health professionals have their own blocks, distraction, prejudices, and cultural upbringing, all of which color the work that they do, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-e-smith/mental-health-professionals-have-their-own-blocks-distraction/) [Laurie E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-e-smith/) [Browse all 1,121 Imperfection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's been years that I'm striving for perfection but I found out I can't", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cath Chatto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-perfection-but-i-found-out-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Imperfection" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-perfection-but-i-found-out-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/605/cath-chatto-2694_imperfection_it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-pe_1242816.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's been years that I'm striving for perfection but I found out I can't” — Cath Chatto", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cath Chatto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's been years that I'm striving...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-perfection-but-i-found-out-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/it-s-been-years-that-i-m-striving-for-perfection-but-i-found-out-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```