Escaping the Paralysis of Perfection
How to Overcome the Fear of Launching Imperfect Work
My friend Stephanie from NoseyAF asked me the most poignant question today: “What’s holding you back?”
For months, I've been saying I'll relaunch my podcast soon, but I still haven't followed through. Perfectionism has gotten to me again.
Oftentimes, the biggest thing holding us back is ourselves. This is definitely true for me. In most phases of life, I’m not a perfectionist. But in business, I feel like I need everything in order.
We’ve all felt this. We’ve said things like “It needs to be perfect before can I release my product.” “I need to account for everything.” “It’s just not ready.” But why do we wait for permission to do what we want?
There was another moment today where my friend Bridget asked about our limiting beliefs during her Write S#*t Mondays call. I mentioned my discussion with Stephanie, and Bridget said sometimes we need permission to move forward. So she gave me permission to leap, even if I don’t feel ready.
In order to advance significantly in our businesses, we must be okay releasing our work. It will be imperfect because creating is messy. It requires starts and stops. It takes consistent, not perfect, work. If we needed everything to be perfect before we launched, we wouldn’t act.
I know this is true in my bones. That’s why I’m going to act on my dreams. I no longer need permission to pursue what I want.
I’m contacting my inactive list. I’m sharing my goals and who I’m trying to help. I’m going to finally release the podcast I’ve been holding onto for months.
I’ve taken small steps to make it happen, but I haven’t fully embraced my new business. You’ve likely had a similar experience with your launch. But taking radical action on your goals and dreams is infinitely better than waiting for the right time.
You’re not releasing your book because you need to make “a few minor adjustments.” You didn’t join the summit in your niche due to the “wrong offer” or landing page. Your group coaching isn’t waiting on your plan “to be fully setup”.
Taking action separates those who succeed from those who don’t. Launching a project, no matter how imperfect, puts someone ahead of those waiting for the perfect time.
There’s no perfect time to launch anything. The perfect time is always in the past - the real question is whether you’ll seize the imperfect moment in front of you.
Believe it or not, there was a third moment today telling me to move forward. Jason Zook mentioned in his Wandering Aimfully group that we tend to make things more complex than necessary, especially in business.
Sometimes we need to be content with the simplest solution. It’s often the best solution, especially if it helps us think more clearly.
So, instead of waiting to have a backlog of a dozen episodes, I’ll just release what I’ve already recorded over the next few months and continue to record more. Instead of trying to build up authority on my own blog, I’ll start posting to here. Instead of waiting to reach out to my dormant list, I’ll send them an email as soon as my podcast is relaunched. If I can take action on my goals you can too.
If you need a permission slip to launch your product/course/book/whatever, you have it. I give you permission to let go of your insecurities. I give you permission to share your gifts with the world. I give you permission to stop being your worst critic.
Have faith this is your path. Just do the damn thing.
If you need help launching your product or course, I’m here for you. Just visit Standout Creative Business to see if we are a good fit for each other. I want to make sure every creative business owner has a successful launch so they can continue to pursue their passion.
If you aren’t in need of launch help, but want to help other creative business owners who might be in the same boat, please share this with them. Thanks!
P.S. Here are some things you can try to overcome your perfectionism:
Start small - Break down big goals into tiny, manageable steps.
Ship it before it’s ready - Set a deadline and launch, even if it's not perfect."
Reframe your mindset - Instead of waiting for things to be perfect, focus on making constant improvement. Think like tech startups and release your MVP (minimum viable product).
Get feedback early - Don't wait until the end to get input. Sharing your work-in-progress will help you identify areas to improve before launch.
Celebrate small wins - We could all use a little bit of encouragement in our businesses. So celebrate every time you accomplish one of your goals, even if it seems small.