One of the basic strategies for life life itself has taught me is that you should never strive for perfection. Perfection is an attractive, well-organized, a very cleverly organized trap. Never dare to step in it.

The most productive days I had weren’t that disciplined, but those were the days when my to-do list had been ticked off entirely. The fantasies of perfectionism often take over my mind, mostly about how good and organized and...