I expect a lot of myself. I admit it. I’m a perfectionist.
The problem is I’m not perfect. Not even close.
Many of the other solopreneurs I know hold very high standards for themselves, too. And while it’s good to always strive to do your best, there’s a downside if you’re too focused on never erring. Fear of stumbling can put you in a state of inertia. Fear of trial and error can halt you from gaining new clients and expanding your business potential.
I think most solopreneurs know that holding back can hold them back, but sometimes a little reinforcement is in order. I’m not the only blogger to address the topic of perfectionism in business. If you’re a perfectionist and find that it’s cramping your entrepreneurial style, check out these interesting reads on the topic…
Why Perfectionism and Business Don’t Mix by Dawn Barclay via Living Moxie – Includes some great tips for saving your sanity!
How Perfectionism Ruins Businesses and Startups by Wayne Harrel – Serves to remind us to not get fixated on any one thing. Move onward and get past what’s less than perfect when building your business.
Does this Business Make Me Look Fat? (Or, How to Silence That Voice in Your Head) by Tea (The Chef) Silvestre via The Word Chef – A humorous approach to helping you figure out if you’re your own worst enemy – and some great practical tips for overcoming your perfectionist ways.
So now, as I – in true perfectionist fashion – stress over things like…Did I miss any spelling or punctuation mistakes? Will anyone be interested in this topic? Is my title engaging enough? Will readers relate to this?…I hope you’ll find some takeaways in this post that help you overcome the perfectionist tendencies that are stopping you from achieving.
How has perfectionism slowed you down in your business? What ways do you counter that inner voice that constantly doubts your abilities? I welcome your comments!
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That pesky inner voice!
If there was one thing that’s held me back most (hopefully less so now) it’s that need to be right/perfect/awesome/successful etc. I can’t count how many business ideas I abandoned because of that nagging feeling that “it” just wasn’t good enough.
A couple of things that have really helped me:
1) Realizing that the inner voices were just chatter and that I didn’t need to take them all that seriously (Thank you Steven Pressfield/The War of Art)
2) Changing my attitude toward failure itself (the root of all perfectionism). I used to quit stuff too easily, so failing or being imperfect meant “ending.” When I finally realized this, I saw that failure was just one of many results. Whatever I did, whether it was a business or a just a marketing campaign, I saw that some stuff worked, some stuff didn’t, etc. I realized that failing didn’t have to mean “end.” As soon as that shift happened I was able to let go of most of that need to be perfect all the time and just focus on getting my stuff out there.
I still have the chatter. I just got better at letting it flow in and out. 🙂
Thanks for sharing what has helped you, Marcus! I’ll need to check out “The War of Art,” and I believe your attitude toward failure is one that anyone in business (actually everyone everywhere!) should try to adopt. Great insight as always! Thanks!
I always tell people that you can strive for perfection, but settle for excellence. Sometimes, you have to get out of your own way .
Great saying, Rachel! And the latter part is oh so true!
Love you comment Rachel! I feel great about delivering excellence even if it’s not perfect.
Thanks for including my post in your round-up, Dawn. I’m glad it resonated with you. This perfectionism thing is for the birds!
You’re welcome, Tea…and I agree completely!!
Thanks for including a link to my post in your round-up, Dawn. I’m so glad it resonated with you. This perfectionism thing is for the birds and the more we can discuss it, hopefully, the less we’ll have to suffer through it.