One of the biggest issues that business owners and all of my clients have is a disease called Perfectionism. I call this a disease, because it is. It is debilitating, and it stops you from getting what you really want in life. It makes you feel awful, and it is not (by any stretch of the imagination) improving your life in any way. In this post I will show you the definition of being a perfectionist, and how to overcome perfectionism.
Definition of Being a Perfectionist
Wikipedia defines Perfectionist as:
“Perfectionism, in psychology, is a personality trait characterized by a person’s striving for flawlessness and setting high performance standards, accompanied by critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others’ evaluations. … When perfectionists do not reach their goals, they often fall into depression.”
On the Wiki site, they show this image:
Perfectionism is Like a Disease
Why am I being so harsh about being a perfectionist? Because I am one!!
I have had to fight with every instinct that I have to rid myself of this disease because I have realized how much it has stopped me from one of the most important things in the business world:
Finishing Something.
Let me give you a visual reference in case you are struggling to grasp what I am talking about.
How long do you think it will take this person to Finish?
Forever?!? You are right.
While this might seem like a dramatic example, I DO want you to take a moment and ask yourself these very important questions:
- Where am I Being a Perfectionist in My Life?
- Does being a perfectionist make me happy?
- What am I stopping myself from doing / achieving / finishing by this behavioral pattern?
- Do I expect other people to be perfect?
And a tip I tell all of my clients:
80% is Good Enough!!
You might think that as a coach I push my clients to Do More — well, you are right and wrong. Typically, my biggest ‘fight’ is to get my clients to accept that Good is Good Enough, and we need to Finish something and MOVE ON. You would be surprised just how transformative this is! Just by making this tiny little change, I have watched people’s results literally skyrocket and their happiness grow immensely at the same time.
Consider this: if you are a perfectionist, you are already doing a really amazing job at something. You have paid attention, focused on the details, made sure you have looked at the situation or project from all angles. You have done your homework, and your work. It is for this reason that YOUR 80% is actually 110%!! Compared to the average person who just trudges along half paying attention and barely making sense of things, you are a frickin’ ROCKSTAR! This tip will help you to finish more things, as well as feel good about what you have done so that you are moving your neurosis back to normal and improving your self-esteem.
The Most Important Part?
By allowing yourself the room to breathe, you will actually be able to get more done, and experience greater results!
Now–That is Perfect !
