...is probably the worst thing anyone could ever strive for. 

Seriously. 

Thats not to say that one shouldn't try their best, and work towards improvement.  But all in all it's pretty unattainable and disheartening.  How many times in Life, have I not truely enjoyed myself because all I could think of was how it could have been better.  Or in a even more unfortunate vein, how many times have I not even attempted something, because everything wasn't right or wasn't going to be.

Maybe its not perfection that is all that bad.  But the vile perfectionism that courses through us all. 

One of the biggest (and constant) failures in my life has been not living it as I truely wanted to, because there was always too much going on.  Responsibilities, life clutter, etc...  I would always tell myself that I'd get around to doing things as soon as x, y, z, cleared up, but by the time they did--there was another new set of variables keeping me from that precious perfection.

So my new life philosophy--although not terrifically profound--is:

do what you want.

Figure out what you really want to accomplish and just go after it, variables be damned.  Let the chips fall where they may, and deal with the consequences as you have to.