Are you a perfectionist?

Perfectionism often masquerades as a strength. It sounds impressive to say you have high standards or that you won't settle for anything less than excellence. But here's the truth that many high-achieving people don't want to hear: perfectionism isn't helping you reach your goals—it's actively preventing you from getting there.

If you've ever found yourself stuck in the planning phase, never quite ready to start because conditions aren't perfect, or if you've abandoned projects halfway through because they weren't turning out exactly as you envisioned, perfectionism might be the culprit. Let's talk about why this happens and what you can actually do about it.

Perfectionism Creates Paralysis

One of the biggest ways perfectionism sabotages your goals is by creating decision paralysis. When everything has to be perfect, nothing ever feels quite ready. You want to start that business, but first you need the perfect logo, the perfect website, the perfect product lineup. You want to get healthier, but you're waiting until you can commit to the perfect workout routine and meal plan. You want to write that book, but you need the perfect writing environment and the perfect outline first.

The problem? Perfect never comes. There will always be something that could be better, something else to research, another detail to refine. Meanwhile, weeks turn into months, and months turn into years, and your goals remain firmly in the "someday" category.

It Steals Your Progress

Perfectionism doesn't just stop you from starting—it also prevents you from finishing. How many projects have you abandoned because they weren't living up to your impossibly high standards? That half-written blog post, that partially organized closet, that course you were creating but never launched.

Here's what perfectionists often miss: done is better than perfect. A finished project that's "good enough" will always be more valuable than a perfect project that never sees the light of day. That imperfect blog post could help someone. That organized-enough closet makes your mornings easier. That course, even with a few rough edges, could change someone's life.

Progress compounds over time, but only if you're actually making progress. Perfectionism keeps you stuck in an endless loop of refinement that feels productive but doesn't move you forward.

It Drains Your Energy

Striving for perfection is exhausting. Every decision becomes monumental. Every task takes three times longer than it should because you're obsessing over details that probably don't matter. You're constantly second-guessing yourself, revising, redoing, and overthinking.

This level of mental energy expenditure isn't sustainable. Eventually, you burn out. And when perfectionists burn out, they often swing to the opposite extreme—doing nothing at all. It's all or nothing thinking, and neither extreme serves your goals.

It's Often Rooted in Fear

Let's get real for a moment. Perfectionism usually isn't really about having high standards—it's about fear. Fear of judgment, fear of failure, fear of not being good enough. If you never finish or never start, you never have to face the possibility of criticism or rejection.

But here's the thing: playing it safe and staying small doesn't protect you from those feelings. It just guarantees you'll never know what you're truly capable of. The discomfort of putting imperfect work into the world is temporary. The regret of never trying lasts much longer.

How to Move Forward

So what's the alternative? It's not about lowering your standards or producing mediocre work. It's about embracing "good enough for now" and trusting in iteration.

Start before you're ready. Launch before it's perfect. Share your work even when it feels vulnerable. Then improve as you go. Every successful person you admire got there by doing imperfect work consistently, not by waiting until they had it all figured out.

Set deadlines for yourself and stick to them, even if the work isn't quite where you hoped it would be. Remember that feedback from the real world is infinitely more valuable than your internal critic's endless revisions.

Most importantly, redefine what success looks like. Instead of "perfect execution," aim for "consistent action." Instead of "flawless results," celebrate "meaningful progress."

The Bottom Line

Your goals are waiting for you on the other side of perfectionism. They're waiting for you to decide that taking messy action is better than taking no action at all. They're waiting for you to value progress over polish and courage over comfort.

You don't need to be perfect to start. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to begin, keep going, and trust that you'll figure it out along the way. That's how goals actually get achieved—not through perfection, but through persistence.

Happy Planning!

xoxo - Michele @TheAwesomePlanner/EverydayAwesome