Perfectionist? are you?

[Bev Rose]

Yes, I too am a perfectionist when it comes to the sets of nails I do.
If I see the slightest problem, then the file comes out or i get the polish remover out or something.

My clients do say 'Oh! You're such a perfectionist'. And I always say that it's better to be like that than have a careless attitude to the job I do...it's MY bread & butter and I need great nails out there working for me to bring in more biz, my clients get told they are my walking adverts and it's true.
They are all happy with the fact I am particular, they feel they are also getting a special service they would not probably be getting elsewhere.

And when it comes to housework....well I'm totally not bothered:lol:

 

[Gelly]

My name is Emma, and I am a nail perfectionist :irked:

It drives me mad sometimes, but i do also think it is a good thing,
I;m not a perfectionist in any other area, just nails,

I sometimes wish I could see my sets as clients see them, but I can't and I dount I ever will,

I strive to create the perfect set..and I always will,
I do actually give myself a headache thinking as I am doing a set of nails ...

If Emma hadn't written this already, this would have been my post!

I am very laid back - not a perfectionist in any other area of my life..... except nails!
When I am working, I am secretly stressed. :irked:
I fiddle, refine, re-check, refine; It is no wonder my times never come down - I am too busy finding things to improve on. :lol:
As soon as I get in the car to go home (I'm mobile) I always develop a massive headache :cry:

 

[pazzy]

Am I a perfectionist or just a complete fanny?

 

[1999judy]

I am my own worst enemy (and critic), I'd love to be perfect all the time (but time prevents me) as i have to earn money.

Time is my worst enemy, I can knock out a prize winning comp set of sculptures (but in the salon it takes me twice as long), which doesn't make it financially viable (also doesn't make sense). I judge myself quite critically on everything I do (and it's getting worse). The appreciation level I feel from clients is amazing ..... BUT, then there's those clients that I work my ass off to make their nails look great, then they wait until they break one or two before those dumb-asses realise they need a fill (4-5 weeks later). I can't stand skinflint clients that sing my praises (yet wait till they are almost self destructing before they come back). With these clients I put the brakes on my real talents and give em enough to be impressed (but not truly my best).

I am learning to dish out my "SPECIAL" stuff for the more appreciative clients.
Don't get me wrong, everyone gets great nails, but I always keep something in reserve for those clients that show their obsession with their nails is equal to mine.

I once had a brilliant career as a chef .... when I felt my talents weren't appreciated (I gave it all away). I don't want this to happen with fingernails (20 years and still going strong) I give 80% on most clients (which is still about 50% above anything/anyone around me.

But there's nuthin quite like the buzz of giving 100% to those clients that truly (and I mean truly) appreciate what I am capable of.

I did a client today (recommended through this site Via USA) I spent 2 hours on her (a rarity for me) .... impressed her ass off (she had 5 nails missing and lifting on all the rest), she was gob smacked with the results (but if she waits too long to come back) I'm gonna wind back my talents, it's just my way of rewarding those that are truly appreciative of what I do.

So YES, i'm a critic and my worst critique (which makes me a perfectionist), but give my talents according to appreciation (initially I give my all) but that level is adjusted according to obvious appreciation.

Am I raving?

Whadya reckon????

I reckon you've hit the nail on the head Carl tbh.
TIME is a major factor and skinflints who expect that they can just call when they want a rebalance after 4 weeks etc instead of booking in advance as the majority do.
I also previously had a great career that earnt me lots of money but simply bored me to tears. I hated it..appreciated or not.
Thanks everyone...maybe I'm not as daft as I sometimes think
Bear in mind I look constantly at nails that are without fault...my own.. as you know not done by me.. and study them no end...that's what its all about I suppose..striving to be better so I'll learn to do it.
I'm just so glad I'm not on my own with this one.

 

[fifitrix]

Perfectionist, yes I am. I always want the nails that I do to be perfect, normally when I do my own I take a piccy on macro upload them to the computer and groan because I see the wee things that I should have done better. I tell myself though at least I can see them and work on that the next time or normally straight away if I'm honest:lol:

On my clients, I'm always trying to perfect their nails or picking up the abrasive at the end to swipe a bit here or there and they always say,"what are you looking at? I can't see anything wrong" I am a long way off doing the perfect nail but it's what I aspire to. Great thread Judy.

 

[VHunter]

OMG

I'm always picking my nails apart, so to speak. The tiniest thing bugs the living daylights out of me.
But, again.. time constraints, being what they are.... most days, there's always something that irks me...

I'm still honing my skills, and am easily outdone by many techs on this site BUT I'm most definately better than the NSS around the corner:!: I'd even be so bold as to say, I'm better than a few of the "real" techs that are actually in town (we have maybe 5 of us?). Mind you, they still only do gel-resine (aka dips) and only 2 do L&P.....

So, I still have plenty to learn... this I KNOW...
But yes, I critique myself constantly and many days, clients walk out the door HAPPY AS LARKS while I want to haul them back and change/fix one or two things..

Wellllllllllll I can't keep them all night, right?

And while I can't wait to achieve my goals, I hope there is always another around the corner because I think I would be bored to tears if there wasn't something new to learn or another star to reach for.
So, maybe right now, is the best place to be.
:green:

 

[jenny mosley]

:irked:OH Yes and it drives me mad sometimes

jenx

 

[looby lou]

Bear in mind I look constantly at nails that are without fault...my own.. as you know not done by me.. and study them no end...that's what its all about I suppose..striving to be better so I'll learn to do it.
I'm just so glad I'm not on my own with this one.

[/QUOTE]

I was just going to add Judy, that you have your nails done by one of THE BEST, so although you maybe a perfectionist anyway, you have perfection at your fingertips ( cheesey I know, but the only way to explain ),!!!!

I too am like this and even if I am working to a tight schedule, there is no way I can cut corners or compromise. Yes - I could take twice as long but still not be happy, and as Carl pointed out, some people just don't appreciate whatever you do, but as long as you are doing a good job and earning a decent living then you should be happy.

Comps are a typical example of 'striving for perfection'. Two and a half hours ? - ha! Plenty of time to create the perfect set!? ............ well actually, sometimes it's not enough. But then would 3 hours be enough? 4 hours? We could go on forever :lol: xxxx

AS LONG AS THERE ARE THE LIKES OF US AROUND, THEN THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD WILL GET BLOODY GREAT NAILS:hug: XXXX

 

[IllumeGirl]

Perfectionism is a good thing..but as mentioned before..some clients are deserving of it..some are not!
Time is money..and who wants to waste time/money on a client who is going to waltz off and trash thier works of art on cool drink cans etc.:irked: Near enough is good enough on those types
Perfectionism/self critism is a wonderful tool though to constantly force you to improve..so long as it is used constructively..do not let it bash your confidence (we all know how a bad nail day in your mind can churn out crappy nails)
In the end though, to a true perfectionist..it aint ever gonna be perfect enough...EVER!!:lol:

 

[sammy1972]

Ok the title says it but there are so many of us that strive for perfection.
I see any flaw. Somethings not quite right.. I do it again.
Clients may well look at me and say...You are not happy with it??? WHY???
Not always can I explain..in client terms.. but there could be something, even very small that could be better.
Do we ever get over this or is this something we all have to learn to live with?
Are we the worst critique you could imagine on our own nails?
If so...is this a bad thing?
I tend to think it's a good thing..but do YOU ever feel this way?

I am so glad that I am not the only person who thinks this way!! I am so critical of my own work, to myself that is, why I do it, I don't know. All of my clients are happy with the work I do, not unless they're talking about me behind my back that is, lol!!

But seriously, I think it is a good thing because if we didn't feel this way we wouldn't be doing a good job would we. For everytime I do a set of nails and pick up on some tiny little thing the next time I do a set I work that bit harder to try and put right whatever it was I thought was "wrong". I stress myself out so much sometimes over things like this, even thinking about the tiniest things after I have done a job. I try not to but I think it's in us naturally and as I said before if we weren't critical of our own work we wouldn't be doing a good job.

Phew!! So glad it's not just me who feels this way, .

 

[S-j's]

Well I have to say that I was not going to reply to anything today but after reading what Nailzoo wrote, I have to add to this thread.

I used to be the assistant manager of a salon, I loved every moment of it. Dealing with the clients, the other therapists, doing my treatments, training. I too try to perfect everything I do and it wasnt just nails. It was waxing, facials, pedicures, answering the phone, customer service and even cashing up the till at the end of a day. I just wanted the whole salon to be the best it could be.

If I am honest I had a huge clientelle base and sometimes worked 11 hours a day with no lunch break. I would be buzzing around all day and felt great but the moment I put the key in the door at night I would cry. My other half just did not know what to do with me. I was an emotional mess at home but perfect at work. So I left!!!

That was 6 months ago and I now work in an office for Social Services. I think I grew to hate Beauty and nails because I never got the appreciation from my manager. I made myself miserable for someone else. I will go back to it in the future because it is something I love and I am good at but I will never work for anyone else again.

Sorry that I have gone on a bit here but it helps to tell people things sometimes!

 

[leah82]

MY NAME IS LEAH & YES I AM A COMPLETE PERFECTIONIST IN EVERYTHING I DO!!! I drive my family mad!!! Can't help it. I do have OCD so guess that has something to do with it, lol!! :lol:

 

[g5m_sh]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE!!!!

I am a right tit some times!! Even worse with nail art... OMG if its not 'spot on' it gets cleaned off and start again and again and again!


xx

 

[Missy G]

Im Defently A Pefectionist Too The Amount Of Time I Spend Faffing Around With My Filing Till Im 100% Happy Wid It ..well ...im Sure I Would Get A Set Done Quicker If I Wasnt Such A Purrfectionist Omg..x

 

[Katelisa]

I think there has to be some sort of perfectionist in us all to do this job and want to strive to do better.

Ok the title says it but there are so many of us that strive for perfection.
I see any flaw. Somethings not quite right.. I do it again.
Clients may well look at me and say...You are not happy with it??? WHY???
Not always can I explain..in client terms.. but there could be something, even very small that could be better.
Do we ever get over this or is this something we all have to learn to live with?
Are we the worst critique you could imagine on our own nails?
If so...is this a bad thing?
I tend to think it's a good thing..but do YOU ever feel this way?

 

[taramattingley]

Ok the title says it but there are so many of us that strive for perfection.
I see any flaw. Somethings not quite right.. I do it again.
Clients may well look at me and say...You are not happy with it??? WHY???
Not always can I explain..in client terms.. but there could be something, even very small that could be better.
Do we ever get over this or is this something we all have to learn to live with?
Are we the worst critique you could imagine on our own nails?
If so...is this a bad thing?
I tend to think it's a good thing..but do YOU ever feel this way?

i can absolutely see where you are coming from,and i dont think you should EVER get over it.only you know what you want and what you are trained to do.

i am exactly the same.....my client will be chuffed to bits but as soon as i see i have not done a set to a standard i want i tell them