Creating the Perfect Layout

You can't! I have tried too many times to make my layout completely perfect. My efforts were repaid with anger and frustration. Perfectionism is something I struggle with in more than just model railroading. I have started to overcome this recently, but I want you to know it's okay to not be perfect and make mistakes!

I have destroyed and rebuilt 3 layouts because of my strive to be perfect. I try to compare myself to people I see on YouTube with almost perfect creations. Anger would consume me when my attempt was not up to par with theirs'. I do not have the plywood edges on my layout like some YoutTubers or clubs do. This would cause me to feel like my layout was not worthy. It would discourage me from even wanting to work on the layout. But I started to come to terms with the face that I do not have to be like everyone else. The person that helped me out with this struggle was Steve Brown over at It's My Railroad. As he got me to learn, I want to help you learn that not building the perfect layout is OKAY!

Make mistakes! Do not get discouraged because something did not work out! If you do not make mistakes you can't hone your craft. I have had many mishaps on my journey building a railroad, and I regret getting so frustrated instead of trying to learn from it. Go make those mistakes and become a better modeler; it's the best way to do it!

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