Progress Not Perfection The famous mantra "Progress Not Perfection" is a well-known but sometimes misunderstood phrase when it comes to recovery from addiction. Perfectionism in recovery is not a positive thing; since no one is perfect, when you fall short of being perfect in your recovery journey, shame and discouragement enter in. This spiral of negative feelings can often make recovering addicts fall right back into their unhealthy patterns again. However, when you shift the mindset to recognizing the progress you have made, this creates a safe environment for the person in recovery to feel supported and encouraged. Encouragement is fuel for progress and leads to positive feelings, hope for the future, and development of even more healthy habits. Much like learning a new sport, a new recovery lifestyle takes time and practice to learn, improve, and make progress. Over time, you can be proud of the progress you have made as you leave behind the former unhealthy coping behaviors for a new chapter with a better, more hopeful, and healthier life.