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REDEFINE PODCAST
Perfectionism-Blessing or Curse
I joke that I am a perfectionist with borderline OCD. My kids always complain that I need to have everything perfect all the time. I used to think that was a compliment. They would get so annoyed when their hair had to always be done and their beds made. I frantically ran around the house cleaning everything, including closets, minutes before we traveled out of town. I cringed at inside-out socks in the laundry and repeatedly demonstrated the importance of putting towels away with the folds facing outward. I’m pretty sure, in my case, perfectionism is not a compliment. Can you relate? The curse of perfection can sometimes hold us back and we don’t realize it.
If improving a relationship with your children or spouse is a priority, does stressing all day about a perfect house help you accomplish this? Does spending hours and hours on updating your website and email templates make sense when you could be out networking and marketing your business? Does your perfectionism help or hinder you? Many times, the need for perfection arises because we worry what others think about us when in reality, we have no control over other people’s thoughts. We create stories of criticism. Our negative self-talk takes over and paralyzes us.
I was a photographer for over 10 years, and I also owned a photography magazine, with that being said imagery and aesthetics was at the center of everything I did. When I first started, I would spend hours and hours photoshopping out of place hairs or clothing that wrinkled in the wrong places. Everything had to be perfect. I noticed things that no one else would ever notice. I was spending time and energy that could have benefited me if I had used it differently. It was years into my career that I realized there was beauty in imperfection.
I often see some of these same behaviors in my business now. I catch myself holding off on putting offers out because I want them to be perfect. I realize when I do this, I am only holding myself back. I have had to really work on being okay with the occasion mis spelled word, a link that doesn’t work, or graphic that doesn’t look exactly how I want it. I have realized that through my mistakes and imperfections I have learned the most.
Our businesses are all about trial and error. If we don’t fail, we don’t succeed. When we don’t take action, we don’t get results. When we have an offer, a presentation, a social media post that we want to put out, but we start to feel like it isn’t good enough and we decide not to put it out there. What happens? We don’t take action and we don’t get results. The old cliche of “practice makes perfect” still holds true. The more times you practice and put yourself out there, the better you will become. Take a look at some of the leaders in your industry. I guarantee if you go back in time and look at their work at the beginning it is flawed. There is a tactics that says if we want to get good at something we have to do it 100 times or more. Dissect that principle down in your business. Think of all the things in our business we feel we are not good at and do them 100 times. I promise you will improve and gain more confidence.
There is nothing wrong with striving for perfection. In fact, consistently working towards your best self is encouraged. When we strive to become better and achieve our goals, we find happiness and joy in our growth. However sometimes perfectionism can have the opposite effect. We hold ourselves back because we convince ourselves if it isn’t perfect, it isn’t good. This thought can lead to inaction, causing us to waste endless amounts of time on perfecting projects that do not support our goals or our priorities.
When we can recognize our thoughts and learn to manage them, we will see positive change. Our house might be a little disheveled, or our website might be outdated, but the energy we would have otherwise used has been utilized in other, more valuable, areas. Don’t let the curse of perfection hold you back. The next time you find yourself stuck in the details, remember: progression over perfection. Remember if you want results you have to take action even if the action is not the best!
I'm Brittni Schroeder!
I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs!
