Being directionally correct instead of absolutely correct
Discover how to break free from the chains of perfectionism and find success through flexibility, learning, and the power of progress
I have the great pleasure and privilege of working with some incredibly intelligent people. With this pleasure comes some frustration at the number of people around me trapped in their own analysis paralysis, perfectionism and pull towards the infinite depths of a particular thread until they can find the elusive, magical certainty they crave. The certainty that what they've thought or done is finally, verifiably, absolutely correct.
Here's a way to pull yourself out of that quicksand if you feel you might be sinking.
Stop asking, in any given situation, "Is this absolutely correct?" and instead ask "Is this directionally correct?"
The concept of being "directionally correct" rather than absolutely correct, particularly in the context of innovation and decision-making, is notably attributed to Chuck Swoboda, the retired Chairman and CEO of Cree. Swoboda discusses this idea in his book The Innovator’s Spirit: Discover the Mindset to Pursue the Impossible, where he emphasises the importance of making decisions with the best available information and learning along the way, rather than waiting for perfect conditions or absolute certainty.
Many of my readers will know this perspective to be at the heart of business agility, design thinking, lean startup and other similar concepts often talked about in organisational settings. But the value of focusing on being directionally correct extends well beyond the workplace.
The underlying psychology of being absolutely correct
When individuals aim for absolute correctness, they are often driven by a deep-seated fear of making mistakes or being judged. This can be linked to perfectionism, a trait characterised by setting excessively high-performance standards, accompanied by overly critical self-evaluations and concerns about others' evaluations. The roots of this behaviour can be varied, ranging from upbringing and personal experiences to certain cognitive and personality traits.
Neurologically, this behaviour may engage the brain's reward and fear circuits. For instance, the anticipation of making a mistake can activate areas of the brain associated with fear and anxiety, like the amygdala, while the desire for perfection may stimulate the brain's reward pathways, seeking the dopamine release associated with success and approval.
This is interesting to know, but the bottom line here is that it's important to acknowledge that shifting from being attached to perfectionism and being absolutely correct, to leveraging a focus on being directionally correct, is not just a simple choice. There can be some hard wiring in the brain that may need to be first untangled before rewiring our relationship with 'correctness'.
So, it’s important to be compassionate and patient with yourself if you’re trying to loosen your grip on perfectionism. And if you happen to be responsible for the well-being and functioning of other people, whether at work or at home, then it’s even more important to understand where the attachment to being absolutely correct might stem from.
Here are some factors to consider.
Fear of failure: The fear of being wrong can be tied to a deeper fear of failure. This fear often originates from past experiences where being wrong had significant negative consequences, either emotionally, socially, or professionally.
Past successes and reinforcement: Similarly, if a person has been frequently rewarded or praised for being technically right in the past, this can create a pattern where they feel compelled to always be absolutely correct.
Self-esteem issues: A person's self-worth might be closely tied to being right. They might believe that their value and acceptance in social or professional circles depend on their ability to be correct, so being anything but absolutely correct is a risk not worth taking.
Cognitive distortions: Certain thinking patterns, like black-and-white thinking or over-generalisation, can contribute to this need. These distortions can lead to an exaggerated importance placed on being right.
Control and predictability: Some individuals may equate being correct with having control over their environment. In unpredictable situations, this need can become more pronounced as a coping mechanism.
Cultural and social influences: Societal expectations and cultural norms can also play a role. In some environments, there is a strong emphasis on being right or knowledgeable, which can internalise this need and the behaviour translates into various other contexts where it’s a habit that’s just too hard to shake off.
How you suffer and everyone around you suffers
If you’re the one needing to make a shift, you really need to believe how much your current attachment sucks. If it’s someone else in your life you’re wishing would focus less on being absolutely correct and more on being directionally correct, then hopefully the below will give you some pain points you can use to have a crucial conversation with them.
Stress, anxiety, and burnout: The constant drive to be correct can lead to chronic stress and anxiety. This relentless pressure, especially in unpredictable situations, can be exhausting and potentially lead to burnout.
Strained relationships and social isolation: Personal relationships often suffer as the individual may seem argumentative or dismissive of other perspectives. Over time, this behaviour can lead to conflicts, strained interactions, and eventually, social isolation as others may find it difficult to communicate or feel consistently unheard.
Missed learning opportunities and impaired decision-making: A fixation on being right can hinder personal growth and creativity. The individual might avoid situations where they could be wrong, missing out on learning opportunities and stifling creativity. It can also lead to indecision or overly cautious decision-making, hindering progress in various aspects of life.
Low self-esteem and decreased morale: The internal pressure to always be absolutely correct can erode self-confidence and self-esteem, particularly when faced with inevitable mistakes or corrections. This can also affect the morale of those around them, as they might feel their contributions are undervalued.
Reduced collaboration and communication breakdown: In professional settings, colleagues may hesitate to work with someone overly concerned with being right before moving forward. This can create a tense and uncooperative environment, leading to poor communication and misunderstandings.
Resentment and decreased trust and respect: Both in personal and professional relationships, others may develop resentment, feeling that their views are undervalued or ignored because the person with the need to be absolutely correct always needs that little bit more information to be convinced. Over time, this can lead to a loss of trust and respect, especially if the need to be right is perceived as arrogance or a lack of empathy.
Stifled innovation and impeded group learning: An excessive focus on being right before taking action can suppress new ideas and innovation. Team members may be reluctant to propose novel approaches if they fear criticism or dismissal. Moreover, the individual's reluctance to admit mistakes can prevent a team from learning from errors and improving strategies.
The power of shifting to being directionally correct
Being directionally correct means aiming to be approximately right, focusing on the general direction or trend rather than exact precision. This approach acknowledges the complexity and uncertainty often present in real-world situations and prioritises practical understanding and shorter feedback loops over absolute accuracy before taking action.
This approach significantly reduces the stress and anxiety associated with the need for perfect accuracy, fostering a mindset that is more about understanding the general direction or trend rather than exact precision. It also fosters creativity and innovation by encouraging experimentation with new ideas without the immediate fear of rejection due to inaccuracy.
Moreover, being directionally correct improves personal and professional relationships and team dynamics. It creates a more inclusive and respectful environment where contributions are valued even if not perfect, enhancing collaboration and the sharing of diverse ideas. Personal growth and resilience are encouraged as individuals learn from their mistakes and adapt their strategies based on new insights.
One of my favourite benefits is a seemingly nerdy one. Resource management. Focusing on being directionally correct can lead to more efficient use of time and resources, as it avoids the often unnecessary and time-consuming pursuit of perfect accuracy.
It also means that because of the shorter feedback loops and momentum, you not only start moving and cover more ground than someone stuck at the start line still trying to be absolutely correct, but within the same time and distance you would have learnt a lot more, becoming smarter and better as a result!
All that said though, as I mentioned earlier, it isn’t as simple as just choosing to change. So what can you do?
How to actually make the shift
Shifting from a mindset of needing to be absolutely correct to becoming comfortable with being directionally correct involves both a change in perspective and practical strategies. Here are some specific steps to help facilitate this transition:
Redefine success: Start by redefining what success means to you. Instead of equating it with being 100% correct, consider success as making progress, learning, or moving in the right direction. This shift in perspective can help alleviate the pressure to be perfect. A catchphrase that has helped me a lot in my career and life is “progression over perfection”.
Practice self-compassion: Cultivate self-compassion and remind yourself that it's okay not to have all the answers. Understand that making mistakes is a natural part of learning and growth. Be kind to yourself when you're not completely correct. You can also leverage the compassion of others around you (teammates, family, friends, mentors, coaches) while you’re gradually building up your own self-compassion.
Develop a growth mindset: ‘Growth mindset’ has become a bit of a cliche but it’s simply cultivating the psychological paradigm where you see abilities and understanding as things that can be perpetually developed, and therefore every obstacle or setback can be a learning opportunity to get smarter and/or stronger. Recognise that being directionally correct is often more valuable in that learning process than being absolutely right.
Seek feedback and diverse perspectives: Actively seek out feedback and different viewpoints. Listening to others can help you appreciate the value of diverse perspectives and understand that there are many ways to approach a problem. I wrote a fair bit about this in my article on the Einstellung effect too.
Reflect on past experiences: Reflect on instances where you weren't 100% correct but still achieved positive outcomes. These reflections can reinforce the idea that absolute correctness isn't always necessary for success.
Embrace uncertainty: Practice getting comfortable with uncertainty. Start with small decisions or tasks where the stakes are lower, and gradually work your way up. This helps build resilience and flexibility in dealing with ambiguity and will train your risk lens to get sharper over time.
Mindfulness and stress management: Learn and use mindfulness practices to manage stress and anxiety that may arise from letting go of the need to be absolutely correct. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can be beneficial to become more situationally aware when you’re having a physiological reaction rooted in perfectionism and catch yourself from sinking into the quicksand of needing to be absolutely correct.
Practice celebrating small wins: Recognise and celebrate your achievements, even if they are not perfect or big. Celebrating progress, no matter how small, can reinforce the value of being directionally correct over time. So much of our attachment to being absolutely correct is tied up with our brain’s reward mechanisms, so it’ll take time and practice rewarding yourself for progress in the right direction instead.
Some even more tactical advice
All the advice above is super important but I also want to make sure you can take something away from the time you’ve invested in reading this. I want to help you immediately try the shift for yourself and quickly experience the benefits of the focus on being directionally correct. So, here are some scenario-based examples of exactly how you can try out focusing on directional correctness:
During a work project: When you're working on a complex project and find yourself over-analysing details, striving for absolute correctness, you might get stuck on minute aspects, delaying progress. Ask yourself:
"Is this solution directionally correct towards our project goals?"
This approach helps focus on broader objectives and maintains momentum.
In decision making: When facing a decision with multiple options and feeling paralysed by the need to choose the 'perfect' one, instead of fixating on the absolute correctness of each option, ask:
"Is this choice directionally correct based on the information I have?"
This mindset reduces the pressure for perfection and speeds up decision-making.
During a debate or discussion: In situations where you're debating a topic with colleagues or friends and find yourself obsessing over proving your point, pause and consider:
"Is my argument directionally correct in the context of this discussion?"
This allows for a more open, less confrontational exchange, and acknowledges that there can be multiple valid perspectives.
When learning something new: While learning a new skill or subject, you might strive for complete understanding or mastery right away. Instead, ask yourself:
"Am I directionally correct in my learning process?"
This reframes your approach to learning as a journey, reducing the frustration of not grasping everything immediately.
In personal finances: When managing your finances, such as budgeting or investing, where the desire to make the perfect financial decision can be overwhelming, question:
"Is this financial decision directionally correct towards my long-term goals?"
This helps in making informed choices without the anxiety of needing absolute precision.
In personal relationships: When dealing with relationship challenges, and you find yourself trying to respond or act in the 'perfect' way, ask:
"Is my approach to this relationship issue directionally correct in terms of communication and understanding?"
This encourages empathy and genuine communication, rather than striving for an unattainable ideal in interactions.
"The only way to win is to learn faster than anyone else."
- Eric Ries, ‘The Lean Startup’
In embracing the philosophy of being directionally correct, we open ourselves up to a world of greater flexibility, creativity, and resilience. This approach not only alleviates the burdens of perfectionism but also enriches our personal and professional lives with deeper understanding, more meaningful relationships, and enhanced decision-making abilities. By focusing on the direction rather than the perfection of our journey, we learn to navigate the complexities of life with grace and agility.
Remember, the pursuit of growth and progress, rather than unattainable perfection, is what truly drives success and fulfilment. As we continue to evolve and adapt, let's celebrate each step that moves us forward, however imperfect, recognising that it's the direction that counts, not just the destination.
Hey, do me a favour. Let me know in the comments below if you have any tips for making the shift from needing to be absolutely correct to being okay with being directionally correct, and what benefits you’ve seen from doing so.
Great article - this resonates strongly with me. Its clear to me that focussing on being absolutely correct (especially when being in the presence of many highly educated professionals) can kill creativity. Thanks for the the suggestions!