Being a perfectionist is bad for business
As a small business owner, you are likely a perfectionist. Perfectionists usually are motivated by their work, highly engaged in the success of their clients and willing to work long hours to get sh*t done!
Being relentless every day in pursuit of excellence can generate exhaustion and unreachable standards that actually reverse productive time when you are spread too thin.
In the wise words of Cindy Novotny, “you've gotta slow down to speed up”. Amen, more of you need to remind me that. ;)
Let’s talk about ways to reduce your perfectionistic nature:
Schedule Breaks
Do you feel too busy to take breaks? Sadly, the all or nothing mindset is going to hurt your business. Think of an athlete, without training and proper rest they are not going to reach their goals. Taking time off and intentional breaks as you are evolving ideas is important and I promise you will come back more focused, motivated, and with clarity. Also as a late nighter myself who is the most productive after 5 o’clock, it’s important that I get enough sleep to be able to drive the amount of energy I need during the day to be present when I am interacting with clients. Scheduling time for yourself to “end” even when you’re in a flow, is just as important as any appointment that should have an end time. Rest and come back stronger.
Make Progress Each Day
We all hear “done is better than perfect” and honestly as someone with perfectionism standards, it makes me cringe. But it’s true. You know how you get to the finish line and win... you take small steps forward. How does excellent compare to perfect? They are pretty darn close. Getting something to market, even when not 100% complete allows you to test, not waste precious time, see people respond… and see if your ideal client even resonates with you. Better than perfect doesn’t mean sloppy. Spell check, ensure whatever you work on has a good impression and is strategic considering your perfect customer. Don’t let your analysis is paralysis stop you from achieving something you have in mind that can go to market at 80%. You can’t wait til you have 100% of information, at 70% you should be actively moving forward. You can always improve, add, edit and relaunch. There is always a better version 2, 3 and 4.
Delegate More
Lack of delegation is a huge problem for perfectionists. Our desire to do it all ourselves or “it’ll only take me a few minutes” steals valuable time that we should spend on more important task, with our family, or focused on development that’s going to help us reach our goals. Even if your team takes twice as long as it took you. It is time well spent. I do believe this is one area I held myself back in terms of reaching my potential - not having a team to help me get there! Could be contracted labor, someone on Upwork or Fiver, or a full time position you know you could fill. Try to lean into other’s perspectives because having them give input on the execution of an idea can be really valuable to broaden your horizons and your reach. One of my favorite hiring quotes is “look for culture add, not culture fit - fill in where you lack”!
Stay Positive
Perfectionists also are so focused sometimes on the negative and avoiding the negative, that they are blocking the achievements they are making. “I don’t wanna fail”, “I need more cash”, “I just need better clients” is going to drain energy and create mental blocks. Instead, think about the progress you are making each day, the time block goals to do something each day that generates revenue, and think about one way each day you can get in front of the right clients - not letting the rat race keep you just spinning your wheels. You may not feel like it, but you are making progress every day. Acknowledge it.
Letting Go of Expectations
Some of us grew up in households that held high expectations for us. We learned early perfectionism (not even attainable or desired) was the standard of getting ahead in life. This might include people pleasing, feelings of shame, unworthiness, feelings of tension or, trying to prove something or suppressing our own needs. According to Apa.org, “Perfectionism contributes to many psychological conditions, including depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders”. We do need to self reflection as recovering perfectionists if this may be an emotional factor for us - sometimes our behaviors are a triggering response to our past influence and trauma -- but we can break the cycle and move forward with freedom!
Perfectionism can be an all or nothing attitude. Be willing to start and end, be willing to give something a try, be willing to be a “done is better than perfect” person and make strides in your businesses growth. Striving for perfection can be shifted into a desire to meet a challenge. Make it more of small goal setting than being the best. You are one of a kind, and come to the table with your own unique perspective. Set small wins each day and achieve them, I’ll be here to root you on!
If this is a subject you would like to continue to grow in, be sure you download my e-book where I interview 50+ veteran event business owners about how they manage stress and anxiety to grow their businesses.