Does Perfectionism Get In the Way of Achieving Goals?

There have been numerous times over the years where I've come up with big goals and plans but then I don't make a lot of progress with them.
Plans like:
-lose weight
-exercise more
-read so many books each month
-start a book discussion group
-get back into taking more photos
-work on a particular art project

And one thing that I've been trying to overcome but have not yet been able to maintain and that is decluttering my living space and maintaining yet in a such a way where I can feel comfortable being IN my space, I can find things easily when I need them, have space to work on my projects, and can feel comfortable having visitors. [Hmm, is that a run-on sentence or what?] I'm always coming up with these big plans on how to accomplish what I want, what specifically I'll do each day to reach those goals, but when push comes to shove, it doesn't happen. Either I start one aspect of the project but get distracted and thus move on to something totally different [easy for me to do since I have ADHD], or when the time comes to do it, I talk myself out of doing it because there's something else [more interesting and fun] that I'd rather be doing, or I ...

Sometimes I don't even bother trying because I know that I'll never get to the end--so why bother? I've read that there are many 'perfectionists' out there that are the same way. But I've never considered myself a perfectionist, mainly because there's been so many things that I've failed at or haven't been able to fully accomplish.

So I've been doing a bit of reading here on the net and have come across some interesting sites. Here's a link to one of the articles I read; I'll post links for more sometime in the near future.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/ourladyofweightloss/2008/05/the-art-of-imperfection-seven.html

Let me know what YOU think about any or all of this, if you have suggestions, links of your own, whatever!

The Sprunging of Spring

Though I'm listening to the rumbling thunder as I type, I'm so glad that spring is finally here. The other day, someone gave me a bunch of daffodils from her garden and it looked so nice in my kitchen/dining room. A few days ago, a couple red tulips by the front porch opened up; yesterday, there were several yellow ones that opened up as well. I've been at this place of residence for just over a year now and it's great seeing the new growth on the bushes/plants/flowers, etc. One day recently, as I got home from somewhere, the neighbor twins were playing out in front. They're very friendly little ones, a boy and a girl, both with blond hair and blue eyes, maybe 3 years old or so. And they've sprouted up quite a bit, too; kids do that, I suppose!

With it staying light out later in the evenings, I'm watching a lot of people out and about--running, biking, skateboarding, blading, walking--with friends &/or SO, with kids, dogs... And I've already watched a boy on his front lawn trying to get his kite up into the sky. My computer is on my desk in front of the window up on the 2nd floor of the house, so it's easy to watch what's going on in the neighborhood and watching the parade go by every day. but this is the time of year when I start to feel a bit guilty about not being out there, too, doing my walking and fresh air. I do know how good it is and how it makes me feel, but still, it's hard getting myself to walk out that front door. Excuses are sooo easy [I do have a bad back, so I never can go far early in the season but in time, I am able to go further before it acts up; I'm also trying to get rid of some tendonitis in my knee and my elbow]. I need some way to get those walking shoes on and sending them out that door...

But even though I haven't started my walking routine yet, I'm still SO happy about the arrival of spring. Even with the rumbling of the clouds building up and into a thunderstorm [I just saw a flash of lightning]. so maybe I can stay inside and do some spring cleaning [this is something FUN?? I don't think so, but it needs to get done].