Perfectionism - When Striving for the Impossible.
“Perfection is the enemy of progress” - and how right Winston Churchill was with this quote.
In other words, you could also say perfectionism is just another word for procrastination. Because whilst we endlessly strive for that perfect Instagram post, that perfect episode, that perfect insert any goal or outcome you want to achieve, we actually waste so much time and energy and resources whilst we could have done it with good enough long ago, learn from what worked well and what didn’t and build on that.
Perfectionism. It’s a word we throw around a lot, often wearing it like a badge of honour. But what does it really mean to be a perfectionist? At its core, being a perfectionist means setting extremely high standards for yourself—often impossibly high. You’re not just aiming for success; you’re aiming for flawlessness. Anything less feels like failure causing us to feel bad about what we created even though it probably was a-ok and leading to a negative self-talk spirale that includes harsh self-criticism.
It might sound like a good thing, right? After all, striving for perfection could push us to achieve great things. But here’s the reality: perfectionism isn’t about striving for excellence; it’s about avoiding failure. It’s about the fear of judgement, fear of not being good enough, and it’s rooted in the belief that your worth is tied to your achievements and that if something isn’t perfect, you’ve somehow fallen short as a person.
But why Do We Develop These Tendencies?
Let’s talk about the origins of perfectionism. This tendency often starts early in life. Maybe you grew up in an environment where love and praise were tied to your achievements. ‘Look how good you did on that test! You’re amazing!’ or ‘Why can’t you get straight A’s like your sibling?’ These kinds of messages can be direct or indirect, but they teach us that we are only worthy when we succeed. So, we start chasing perfection, believing that being anything less means we’re not enough.
It’s also common in environments with high expectations. Maybe you had parents, teachers, or even peers who set the bar really high for you. Or perhaps you’ve always felt the need to stand out and prove yourself, whether at school, in your career, or even in personal relationships. Over time, this becomes internalised, and before you know it, you’re your harshest critic, always pushing yourself to be perfect in every way.
This can be exhausting, right? The pressure to keep up, to be flawless all the time… it robs you of your happiness. You might achieve great things, but you rarely enjoy them because there’s always something that could have been better, something that wasn’t quite good enough.
This can also hunt us in the entrepreneurial space and of course influence how we perform, or even how we see ourselves perform in a corporate job.
The perfectionist mindset can be incredibly paralysing. Maybe you’ve had an incredible idea for a new offer to serve your clients. You’re excited, passionate, and you dive into it headfirst. But then the perfectionist in you takes over. You start tweaking every little detail—redoing the content, editing videos multiple times, adding more worksheets, comparing your work to what others are doing. You get caught in this never-ending cycle of creating and refining.
The result? You never launch. That amazing idea stays stuck in your head because it’s not ‘perfect’ enough. You’re so afraid of criticism or of it not being flawless that you’d rather not put it out there at all. And this is where perfectionism really sabotages us—it keeps us playing small. We don’t take risks, we don’t put ourselves out there, and ultimately, we hold ourselves back from achieving our full potential.
Similar in a corporate job. I had a client once who would rather start a whole project again from scratch if she felt it wasn’t perfect and therefore struggled with deadlines, causing her to feel more stressed.
So, how do we work through this? How do we stop perfectionism from sabotaging our success? Here are a few strategies that I’ve found incredibly helpful:
First: Embrace the Concept of ‘Good Enough’ and get comfortable with imperfection:
I know this can be tough, but aiming for ‘good enough’ instead of ‘perfect’ can be a game-changer. This doesn’t mean settling for mediocrity—it means recognising when something is of high quality and doesn’t need more tweaking. So challenge yourself to put out work that’s not 100% perfect. If you find yourself constantly editing, ask yourself, ‘Is this really making it better, or am I just delaying?’ Start with small things—maybe a blog post that you wouldn’t normally publish because it’s not ‘just right’—and see how it feels. You’ll be surprised how much you grow from just putting yourself out there.
Secondly: Set Realistic Goals and Deadlines:
Give yourself a specific timeframe to complete a project and stick to it. When you have a deadline, you’re less likely to get stuck in the cycle of perfectionism. And remember, deadlines aren’t just about getting things done—they’re about knowing when to stop.
Thirdly: Practice Self-Compassion:
Be kind to yourself. You are not your work, and your worth isn’t determined by what you achieve. It’s okay to make mistakes; it’s okay to be human. Talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend who’s struggling—offer encouragement and understanding, not harsh criticism.
And last but not least: Focus on Progress, Not Perfection:
Celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Every step forward is a win. You don’t have to have everything figured out to take action. Progress is about movement, not perfection. If you’re moving, you’re succeeding.
So, to all my fellow perfectionists out there, remember this: perfectionism is not the path to success; it’s a barrier. It’s a shield we use to protect ourselves from judgement, but in reality, it keeps us stuck and prevents us from achieving the things we’re truly capable of. You don’t have to be perfect to be worthy, to be successful, or to be loved. You just have to be yourself, perfectly imperfect.
Fancy speeding up the process of overcoming perfectionism? Then let’s work together to save you time and energy and to actually make progress towards your goals or in your career!
