Welcome to the fifth edition of The Founder’s Corner! Founder’s Corner #5 focuses on strategies aimed to help us step away from the limitations of perfectionism. It’s all about progress over perfection today at the Founder’s Corner.
The Founder’s Corner posts are based on previous segments from our weekly newsletter. So if you want this type of content first, check out the link at the end of this post!
Let’s Talk About Perfectionism
So often we get held back by the limitations of perfectionism. Yet we are unwilling to compromise on the quality of our content.
How then do you find the balance?
Valuing perfectionism is often viewed as having high standards. Yet, the pursuit of perfection can actually be a major limitation on your progress. This is where instead of asking yourself, “Did I get this absolutely right?”, switch your focus towards, “Did I learn something? Did I make any progress?”
Progress Over Perfection
The thing about perfection is that it is a moving target. And when you’re constantly chasing that perfect moment to launch, or the perfect topic, or even the perfect interview, then you ultimately become stalled. That pursuit of “perfect” kills your forward momentum. In fact, it doesn’t even allow you to gain momentum in the first place.
So what does this mean? Should you lower your standards and put out bad-quality content?
The short answer is: NO.
Then what’s the long answer? Ultimately, you need to shift your mindset towards realizing that something that is imperfectly done ALWAYS outperforms something that is perfectly planned, yet never executed.
Let that sink in…
Now keep in mind that “imperfect” does not translate directly to “low quality”. It can still be something that is of incredible value to your audience even if everything doesn’t go perfectly as planned. And guess what? That is literally the definition of life. Things don’t always go as planned!
Another bonus: failure is also a part of life. If you fail to launch it creates a new opportunity. The opportunity to learn through trial and error, and oftentimes the opportunity to learn the biggest, most impactful lessons of your entire career.
Now that we understand the limitations of perfectionism, let’s look at 3 key strategies you can use to continue to hold yourself to a high standard while also adopting a more balanced and realistic perspective.
1. Challenge your “all-or-nothing” thinking
When you engage in all-or-nothing thinking, you view situations in binary terms:
- Either you succeed completely or fail utterly
- Something is perfect or completely flawed
This type of thinking can be paralyzing and discouraging, as it sets an impossibly high standard and leaves little room for growth, learning, or acceptance of imperfections.
By challenging all-or-nothing thinking and adopting a more balanced perspective, you create room for growth, resilience, and a healthier mindset.
Progress is a journey, and each step you take is a valuable part of that journey, regardless of how small or imperfect it may seem.
We have to learn to:
- Embrace the process
- Learn from the experiences
And with that, we can cultivate a mindset that values effort, progress, and resilience over unattainable ideals of perfection.
2. Celebrate progress over perfection, and the opportunities to learn
When we make the mindset shift to celebrate progress over perfection, we can begin to encourage action, embrace feedback, and recognize the value of incremental improvements.
This mindset enables us to break free from the limitations of perfectionism. It also enables us to start to take significant steps toward reaching our goals. By embracing the idea of “create something, and then improve it,” we allow ourselves to overcome the fear of failure. We move away from the extremes and towards action.
Celebrating your progress, however small, and appreciating the journey allows you to recognize that there is always room for improvement. Again, you are able to avoid the trap of complacency while still continuing to strive for a high standard of excellence.
The key is to embrace the idea that “imperfection” and failures are not roadblocks. They are, in fact, the stepping stones on the path to success.
“True success lies in the journey of progress, not the destination of perfection.”
3. Explore new ideas and alternative paths
When we prioritize progress, we immediately create an environment that:
► Fosters innovation
► Encourages renewed thinking
► Opens up new paths of growth
We become overall more adaptable to changes that might spring up, more resilient in the face of challenges, and more open to new possibilities. Rather than being fixated on a rigid ideal of perfection, we remain open to feedback and constantly find new ways to improve.
Perfectionism Stops Here!
Stepping away from the limitations of perfectionism can be a transformative journey toward a more balanced and fulfilling life. However, breaking free from perfectionism takes time, patience, and a commitment to changing your mindset and behaviors.
So keep moving forward, allow yourself to explore new paths, and be open to finding new ways to put out valuable content that resonates with your audience.
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