Quote Of The Day By Elizabeth Gilbert: 'Perfection Murders Joy. You Cut Yourself Out Of The Game Before...'

Born in Connecticut in 1969, author Elizabeth Gilbert got into books early on. On their remote Christmas tree farm, the family had no television or record player, so took to reading a lot. Gilbert and her older sister, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, entertained themselves by writing books and plays — and so it's no surprise that both siblings ended up with writing careers. As an internationally bestselling memoirist, to know Elizabeth Gilbert's work is to know Elizabeth Gilbert. Maybe you know her as the newly-divorced spiritual seeker on a pilgrimage around the globe in "Eat Pray Love." Maybe you know her as "The Muse of the Coyote Ugly Saloon" (yep, they're the same person). Maybe you know her as the marriage skeptic of "Committed," about her decision to tie the knot a second time, or the hard-partying, murder-contemplating caregiver of "All the Way to the River," her most recent release about her lover's death from cancer.

Clearly, Gilbert isn't afraid to be publicly imperfect. In fact, conquering fear, especially when it comes to creativity, is a major part of Gilbert's life's work. In 2015, she published "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear," which is still regarded as one of the best self-help books out there for people chasing inspiration. (It's also one of Bryce Dallas Howard's favorite non-fiction reads.) She lives both out loud and on the page without holding back, and that's why Elizabeth Gilbert is today's quote of the day.

Ahead of the publication of "Big Magic," Elizabeth Gilbert was interviewed by The Guardian, who asked if she thought women were especially afraid to fail when it comes to creative endeavors. In response, Gilbert lamented the tendency toward perfectionism that prevents so many women from accomplishing all that they want. "Perfection murders joy," she elaborated. "You cut yourself out of the game before you even start. You cut yourself out of the game because you've decided it's never going to be as good as your ideal."

"But," she added, "this is on us. We have a certain responsibility to take that on and allow ourselves to release work which is imperfect — which, by the way, is all work! You're never going to please everyone. I mean, there are people who think the Sistine Chapel is gaudy." Michelangelo may have been in it for that sweet papal paycheck, but imagine how much less stunning it might have been if he'd been worried about the haters.

Of course, we all want to do our best, whether that involves writing a book, raising a family, or just baking a cake that doesn't look like a "Nailed It!" entry for once. The problem arises (or doesn't, in the case of the cake) when "our best" turns into "the absolute best anyone can possibly be." We decide that if we can't do something exactly the way we want to do it, there's no point in doing it at all.

That's not to say you're ever obligated to do anything. There's no shame in forgoing the family — tons of celebrities are unapologetically childless by choice — or letting your adolescent dream of pop stardom lapse. However, if everyone was afraid to shoot their shot because the result might be less than perfect, nothing would ever get done. Everything is less than perfect because, thankfully, perfect doesn't exist. The world would be a lot more boring if it did.

• "People think a soulmate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soulmate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."

• "There's a crack (or cracks) in everyone ... that's how the light of God gets in."

• "Some days are meant to be counted, others are meant to be weighed."

• "Do whatever brings you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart."

• "The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them."