Perfectionism gets a bad rap these days.

We’re in the age of the #nofilter selfie, the Instagram vs reality trend, and the exaltation of authenticity as the highest value – all of which I stand fully behind. But one thing I have noticed, is that you’re allowed to call yourself a perfectionist only if it’s accompanied by a self-aware eyeroll, or preceded by the word ‘recovering’.

Consult any job interview advice guide and you’ll likely be advised not to say that perfectionism is your worst trait at work. That’s because it can come off like a bit of a humble-brag: ‘my biggest weakness? Oh, I’m just so good at everything I do’.

There’s no doubt perfectionism can hold us back. Gloria Steinem called it “internalised oppression”, while Guillermo del Toro believes “in the end, perfection is just a concept - an impossibility we use to torture ourselves and that contradicts nature.” He’s not wrong. Look to nature and you’ll see the beauty of imperfection everywhere, from the knobbly gnarls warping an oak tree’s limbs, to the stunning lopsided whorl of a wave crashing.

But when it comes to work, I’m not convinced. Perhaps you’ve heard the maxim done is better than perfect. If you have a tendency towards procrastination, then yes – simply doing something is going to be far better than waiting for the perfect time, place, or situation.

But contrary to popular opinion, I’d like to mount a case in defence of perfectionism. And that’s coming from a self-proclaimed perfectionist (no eyeroll, no interest in recovery).

After all, some of the world’s most successful people are perfectionists. Zoe Foster-Blake calls herself an “unashamed perfectionist”. Last year she joined the Australian Financial Review’s Young Rich List with a self-made estimated net worth of $36 million, so I think she’s coping ok despite the perfectionism.

And she’s in good company. “I’m a maniacal perfectionist. And if I weren’t, I wouldn’t have this company. I have proven that being a perfectionist can be profitable and admirable”, Martha Stewart told Oprah. Steve Jobs, Zendaya, Beyonce, and Kim Kardashian join the perfectionist ranks, and with this glittering lineup, perhaps it’s time to look at some of the positives that perfectionism brings to the table.

It’s often mentioned that Steve Jobs’ perfectionism meant that it took three years to develop the first Macintosh computer. But had he not been so laser focused on the details, would a quicker turnaround have resulted in a product as good, as revolutionary, or as enduring? I doubt it.

To counter all the anti-perfectionist maxims, there’s one that I live by: UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden famously asked “if you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” In my experience, this rings true time and time again. A rushed, slap-dash effort will almost always result in a re-do, or require reworking down the line. Personally, I’d rather take the time to do something right the first time, than have to continually revisit it to patch the holes.

The caveat, of course, is that we all make mistakes, and we have to be ok with this. If we can’t, then perfectionism will absolutely paralyse. And equally, I don’t believe perfectionism can ever be healthy when it comes to self-worth – from our bodies to our behaviour, we will never be perfect, and striving for it can only set us up to fail spectacularly.

But when it comes to work? I’m not interested in average. I want to know what I’m putting out there is considered, and purposeful, and the result of my best attempt. The pursuit of perfection has given us great art, and great invention, and great progress. I can’t imagine what The Birth of Venus would have looked like if Boticelli had been going for ‘good enough’. Would we all still know how to do the Thriller dance if Michael Jackson had been happy with mediocre? Would the Pyramids still be standing if the ancient Egyptians had been fine with ‘works for now’?

I know this is extremely uncool to say, but I truly believe perfectionism is a superpower. If the devil is in the detail, then I’ve already sold my soul, and I’m ok with that.

In fact, it’s just perfect.