Perfectionism is Killing Your Business

Have you ever been caught in the trap of perfectionism or had someone else hold you to their (impossible) standards? It’s a modern hostage situation and one that we most often put ourselves in.

That launch can’t happen, I haven’t written the seventh follow up email yet! Or this web page isn’t ready, it’s not dynamic and flexible on the most obscure of operating systems and every version of Internet Explorer still in use by those stuck in 1999. This copy just isn’t good enough yet and that blog post isn’t ready – I need to research more and more and more.

I’m here to lovingly suggest that you let go, wise up and stop holding yourself back, both in life and business, because perfection isn’t arriving anytime soon honey.

The very idea of perfection is absurd but I understand the frustration that comes when it’s not experienced. Whether you work your hardest painting a wall only to find a drip or hours writing your home page copy only to discover a typo – there are all times when we want to shout at the world: “why can’t this just work the way I want it to?”

Or as I recently heard it expressed, All I desire is a hassle free day.

Well, tough nuggets. Life isn’t easy, simple and stress free. Things don’t go perfectly.

Does that mean we don’t strive for perfection at all?

To me perfection is the antitheses of progress. It’s even been said to me, when doing a favor for someone else during my limited free time, that if it can’t be done perfectly, then it shouldn’t be done at all. At which point I will hand back the reigns and say “have fun then.”

Because perfection is just not practical. Most of the time, it’s a delay tactic. You tell yourself, it’s a strategy to ensure quality or that you do it this way because you care. Nope. Lies. The pursuit of perfection is avoidance in its finest degree. You’re not actually afraid of sharing something subpar, you’re afraid of being judged.

Judgment is inevitable.

There was a time where every time I sent an email, pressed publish on a blog post or shared something, I would get a response from a well meaning but nit picky individual pointing out an error. Every. Single. Time.

Was it frustrating? Yes. Did it stop me? No.

You’re always going to have haters, critics, those who think you’re just wrong.  And working toward the ever mythical “perfection” is just one way of avoiding having to face them.

If not perfection, do we just abandon quality?

I don’t mean to say that you shouldn’t do your best. Not at all. But you must understand that progress can only happen as you take action – otherwise it’s just more planning.

When you’re feeling frustrated and worn down by the expectations of perfection (whether from yourself or others), do yourself a favor and stream a few episodes of Hoarders from Amazon Video. Every time I watch an episode and see their before/after shots I am reminded of this:

Perfection isn’t real, but progress can be life changing.

Think of that the next time you’re struggling with copy that isn’t just perfect yet, or sending a package to a lead that doesn’t include everything they need. Even before you pitch an editor, send a thank you note with an imperfect message or wait to call someone because you don’t know exactly what to say.

So many people are caught up in the trap of perfectionism. Swim upstream and just make progress.