Is Perfectionism Holding You Back?
How to get going without the pressure of perfect
Do you find the need to get things perfect holds you back?
It’s something I have learned to become more comfortable with over recent years.
The fear of not getting it right, or being judged harshly was always a huge block for me whether I was creating a client resource, teaching a lesson or writing my Masters dissertation.
Sometimes it would paralyse me. Unable to write, I second guessed everything I’d already written. I had to stop multiple times to again fact check — even though I either knew it or had already double checked the source.
The fear was linked to my own issues around being judged — being seen as not quite good enough or not intelligent enough. Despite years of experience teaching, my academic training — I never quite felt like I knew enough.
Recently I created a resource for my clients to help them with goal setting & time management. I spent ages on it. It was looking great!
But then I began to doubt myself. Despite knowing that what I had included was useful, factual & would help my clients with these tasks — I felt this need to perfect it.
The fact-checking began. Researching again what I’d just included. Double checking that the references I used were all present & correct. I knew this stuff — I used to teach it & I support clients with it day in day out — but the uncertainty still crept in.
I kept wondering — how could I make it even better? What if they don’t like it or don’t get it? With these thoughts whirling I began adding extra things, trying to improve what I had already been happy with.
I LOVE creating resources for others to help them learn & develop — but after hours of moving the same information around — and having to reformat it because of the changes — I felt stressed, I had a headache & I was exhausted!
In the end I just stopped. Luckily I’d already saved the original copy & went back to it. The task had escalated into a long & stressful process because of my drive for it to be perfect. What a waste of time & effort — just to feed that little gremlin inside my mind!
Yes it is great to have high standards, to want to ensure that you always produce amazing resources or articles; but there is a line where this becomes blurred.
How do you stop perfectionism from blocking progress?
There are a few things that I do now:
- Bring awareness to what’s going on — like I did with this example. Check in with yourself, get to know any worries or doubts you may be feeling.
- Remove the pressure when beginning a task or an essay. To do this, give yourself permission to write a ‘good enough’ version of your essay / dissertation chapter instead of trying to get it to the highest level immediately. It’s easier to improve something you’ve already written in draft than craft it ‘perfectly’ from the off.
- Remove distractions. Limit yourself to screen time & research time. Once your hour is up you focus only on the writing. It can be too easy to get distracted by needing to re-check things when you’ve already done this. Of course, make a note if you are unsure or need to double check a date or something, but go with the ‘good enough’ attitude whilst you’re still in the 1st or 2nd draft stage.
- Ask someone for feedback / proofread. Depending on what you’re working on, some feedback can help you understand where you are with it, if it makes sense etc.
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