Perfectionism Paralysis: Why “Perfect” Has No Part in Starting a Business
Sep 23, 2024
Today we're talking about perfectionism.
Raise your hand if you have identified as a perfectionist. Now keep your hand up if you’ve always thought that this was a good quality.
If your perfectionism is something that you’ve been proud of—something that you usually wear like a badge of honor—you may want to brace yourself. I'm going to be beating this topic up today.
I already know that most of you are going to need to hear this, because the type of person who falls in love with bookkeeping is typically a Type A, rule-following perfectionist…at least at first.
Get Over Yourself
I'm going to start with this. And I say this with love…but I want you to get over yourself.
If there's something that you're stalling on doing because you're working on getting it “perfect,” you need to remember this: perfection is the enemy of progress.
I'm going to say it again: perfection is the enemy of progress.
Are you listening? Did you hear me? Perfectionism is not a good quality. It's a terrible quality, actually. Even though it was probably praised in your childhood, and even though it may seem like a good thing, it’s not.
Perfectionism is paralysis. Perfectionism takes a long time. Perfectionism keeps you hiding, waiting, stalling…and, quite frankly, making excuses. And while you're over there waiting for things to be perfect, somebody else is moving.
Perfectionism = Fear
All in all, perfectionism is actually fear. It’s incredibly disempowered. So that pedestal that you're standing on right now and saying, “I do things perfectly!” is actually you standing on that pedestal saying, “I do things perfectly because I’m so desperately afraid to fail!”
Let that one sink in, because that is big. Perfectionism is fear, and it's not something to be proudly touting.
It's fear that someone will judge you if you get it wrong. It's fear that you're going to fuck it all up and that no one will ever work with you again because you'll be seen as the world's biggest fraud. It’s fear that you'll make a mistake and be seen as fallible.
How to Actually Achieve Perfection
But here’s the truth: perfection isn't achieved by standing on the sidelines and tweaking endlessly while you wait to be ready. You're never actually going to get it perfect that way.
Perfection is a process, and it's achieved by doing. It's only through the series of failures or missteps, facing your fears, and working through them that you're able to actually improve your craft, offer, messaging, strategy, or whatever it is.
And the uncomfortable truth…or maybe the freeing truth…is that no one really cares that much.
Your fears about other people seeing you fail are actually egotistical. They imply that everyone genuinely gives a shit enough to watch all of your mistakes and take the time to gossip about it.
Honestly, who has time for that? Do you? Probably not, right?
Let’s be honest: if somebody does have time for that, they're certainly not worth worrying about on your part.
So instead of making the assumption that we need to hide until our thing is perfect, let's free ourselves from that by remembering that people are probably not even keeping score like that. And if they start to watch, it's probably because you've already figured it out enough to be worth watching without feeling embarrassed.
Take Action
So, are you going to hide for fear of being judged by people who already have their judgments about you? Or are you going to show up for those who actually need your services and your help?
Stop waiting for perfection. Get it good enough. Get it out there, and learn and adapt from the process when you do. That is when you'll actually achieve perfection: through doing.
EPISODE RESOURCES:
Need to boost your bookkeeping basics? Join BABs now: https://www.katieferro.com/become
Want a peek behind the curtain into LIBBY, my program all about what it really takes to have a simple and scalable (and successful) bookkeeping business? Get access to my free, on-demand four-part series, 6 Secrets to a Simple, Scalable Bookkeeping Business: www.katieferro.com/6-secrets
Learn how to take your bookkeeping skills and turn them into a business that allows you to replace (or surpass) your corporate salary, be present for your life, and profoundly impact your clients without selling your life in the process by joining Life by the Books (LIBBY).
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