The Pitfalls of Perfectionism in Business
Being a business owner often goes hand in hand with the idea that you want to ALWAYS put your best work out into the world. Hey, I hear you, it took me YEARS before I finally decided to take the leap.
But one thing a former boss, and Vice President, would repeat to me was:
“Perfectionism is the enemy of Progress”.
For a long time, I would shrug off this statement thinking, I can do both. Produce perfect work and progress at the same time. While this is true; progress happens at a snail’s pace - or worse - not at all.
One day, all of us perfectionists (hello Virgo’s out there) wake up and ask why we have not accomplished more. And the reality will slap us in the face. We were so focused on ‘perfect’ work that we toiled over one piece of work for hours/days/months.
When the reality is, we need a good brain dump. Get all of those ideas out there. Make that amazing work of art, course, new creator profile, whatever it is you have been toiling on. Just put it on paper or out into the world.
Every piece of work, is an opportunity to create ‘iteration 1’. Every piece of work is an opportunity to practice our craft or refine our skills. And what we forget is:
Practice makes PerfectHere are some of the common pitfalls of perfectionism and how to counteract them:
Analysis Paralysis
One of the primary ways that perfectionism can delay your progress is through analysis paralysis. This phenomenon occurs when you are so focused on making everything flawless that you end up overanalyzing every decision. As a result, you may find yourself unable to make timely choices, leading to missed opportunities and delayed projects.
Solution:
Remember your main objective: Clearly define what are you trying to decide.
Set a deadline: Give yourself a deadline to make this decision. And hold yourself to it.
*Intentionally limit the amount of information you are going to research: This is a big one! It is SO easy to scour every page of Google. But you have to set a limit, maybe 5 reputable sources of information, and summarize all of these findings to make your decision. There is such a thing as researching to death!
Get out of your head and connect with someone else: We often get so wrapped up in our thoughts that we start to create a narrative away from our main objective. Take time to gain an outside perspective to help you see clearly.
Time Drain
Perfectionism can also be a significant time drain. Pouring excessive amounts of time and energy into minor details can detract from more critical tasks that require your attention as a business owner. Constantly striving for perfection in every aspect of your work can prevent you from moving forward efficiently and meeting deadlines.
Solution: Set a time limit!
I am a HUGE fan of setting limits. It is a must to manage your time properly. See my post on how to set limits here.
Fear of Failure
Behind perfectionism often lies a deep-seated fear of failure. The desire to avoid making mistakes or receiving criticism can hold you back from taking risks and exploring new opportunities. Over time, this fear can stifle innovation and creativity, preventing you from adapting to changes in the market and growing your business.
Solution: It is okay to start before you feel ready!
Scary I know! But allow yourself to shift your mindset from ‘What if I fail’ to ‘What can I learn from this?’
Also, allow your mind to shift into an ‘iterative’ mindset. This means, think of your work as ‘this is version 1’ of many. And remember you can come back to that piece of work to revise and edit even after it has been published. There is no way for one human to know everything. You will continue to learn, evolve, and with every new piece of information, you will come back to your services/products to refine and release new versions.
If Apple follows this model- you can too!
Embrace Progress Over Perfection
To combat the detrimental effects of perfectionism, it is essential to shift your mindset towards progress over perfection. Strive for excellence in your work, but recognize that perfection is often unattainable and can be counterproductive.
As a business owner, your focus should be on moving forward, taking calculated risks, and seizing opportunities for growth. By letting go of perfectionism and embracing a more balanced approach to your work, you can unlock your full potential and propel your business to new heights.
Remember, progress is paramount, and imperfection is not a failure but a stepping stone towards success. Embrace the journey, learn from your experiences, and watch your business flourish as a result.