How can I move beyond perfectionism?
Do you have big dreams or great ideas, but sometimes can get stuck in the realm of perfectionism? Do you spend too much time and energy worrying about trying to make things perfect? Do you procrastinate because you feel you’re not ready yet?
I can understand how frustrating this can feel. You want to put your best foot forward and showcase the best of your abilities to the world, but your progress stalls when you’re endlessly trying to perfect something to no end. Perfection can equate to inaction and a lot of frustration.
Let’s talk about some tricks to move beyond perfectionism and you keep moving forward:
Perfectionism stems from fear. Maybe you fear being judged and being deemed not good enough? It’s a really scary feeling when you put your heart into something. Write down some thoughts about your fears – what are you scared of if you’re not perfect, what is the worst-case scenario if your fear is realised, how likely is this going to happen and what can you do if it does happen? Often, we magnify our fears and the possible consequences in our heads. Writing this down can make it seem less scary and helps give us some perspective.
One of my favourite quotes is “Progress, not perfection”. Just start. Start even if the circumstances aren’t perfect or you don’t feel completely ready. You’ll progress further and more quickly with your goals if you just start taking action, even if it’s not perfect. You’ll have progressed way further than if you had waited for perfection. When you take action, you get to practise and learn. Soon enough, you’ll start getting better and better at what you’re doing. It’s like a baby learning to walk for the very first time – they don’t walk perfectly the first time that they try. They will stumble and fall, but they keep taking steps and progressing until they are able to walk. “Progress, not perfection” – repeat this phrase whenever you feel like you’re stuck in a moment of perfectionism.
Another quote that I like is “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good”. Sometimes good is good enough and it is definitely way better than not at all if you’re forever waiting for perfection. You have unique talents to share with the world and it’d be a shame if the world missed out on something good just because it wasn’t perfect. I get that sharing something with others can be really scary and I encourage you to be courageous. Once you share something with others, you’ll get the chance to hear feedback and possibly improve beyond what you had even imagined perfect to be.
Adopt a growth mindset. When you are trying something new, challenge yourself to see what you can learn. This perspective can help to shift your focus away from trying to seem perfect and instead focus on how you can learn, improve and grow – it’s a more productive use of your energy.
Lastly, remember everybody starts somewhere and nobody is perfect. We are all human; we all make mistakes; we all learn and grow. Gently remind yourself of this when you need to ease the pressure on yourself.
Perfectionism can be really tricky to manage. Hopefully these tips help you to move past it and keep smashing through your goals!
