Recuperation journey: What really is ideal?

Way back when I was a senior in high school I took a college-level Psych 101 class.

One personality theory we studied has stuck with me for all these many decades. 
Or maybe "has haunted" me is a better way of describing it.
And that's the theory of real vs. ideal self.  

It seems one can never live up to what would be one's ideal self ... and that could easily lead to feelings of inadequacy. And no one wants to feel inadequate.

This week I looked up real vs. ideal self, and found this humanistic theory of personality is the brainchild of psychologist Carl Rogers (1902-1987). I'm sure I learned that when we studied the theory but forgot. 

Real vs. ideal? I suppose all we can do is keep striving to do our best. And not worry too much about the concept of ideal.