Perfectionism in Business: The Silent Killer of Success (And How to Overcome It)
“If you want something done right, you’d better do it yourself.”
Does this sound familiar? Is it the motto of your life?
Then you probably also get caught up in minute details, even though everyone around you tells you it’s fine.
A minor mistake feels like the end of the fucking world.
You, my friend, are a bona fide perfectionist!
You might be thinking that’s a good thing…
After all, who wouldn’t want to work with someone who strives to do everything perfectly?
But, as a seasoned therapist in Portland, Oregon, I’m here to tell you that your perfectionism in business is hurting you.
Your desire for flawlessness is actually killing your company, not to mention destroying your mental health.
So, let’s get into it!
Keep reading to uncover how to overcome perfectionism and succeed in business!
Perfectionism in Business Is a Double-Edged Sword
The tricky thing about perfectionism in business is that it can sometimes be good, which makes it way more difficult to overcome.
In some ways, it’s easier to quit an obviously bad habit like nail-biting, but it’s tougher when the toxic habit you’re trying to quit also benefits you.
The positive aspects of being a perfectionist in business include having high standards, yielding quality work, and paying attention to detail.
You make sure your work is exactly how you want it before putting it out into the world, and you’ve probably gotten some great results and feedback for it.
But there are plenty of negative consequences to perfectionism in business!
As a therapist for entrepreneurs in Portland, Oregon, my humble opinion is that they don’t get talked about enough AT ALL.
Analysis paralysis, stress and burnout, and missed opportunities all stem from your chronic need to be perfect, hurting your company and your mental health.
Recognizing Perfectionist Tendencies in Business
If you’ve read this far, you probably already know that you’re a perfectionist.
So, here are a few of the common signs of how it shows up in your business:
Refusing to delegate: No one else can do it quite like you, so you’ve got to do everything yourself for it to be done “right.” Obviously, this is going to hinder your progress when you’ve got a job that needs several people on it, or you have multiple projects that need your attention. Also, when you waste time on menial tasks that have to be perfect (instead of using your brilliance and skill on high-level & profit-generating initiatives), you also waste money!
Obsessive revision and editing: This is a big one – do you reread emails to clients over and over before hitting send? Now, I’m not against proofreading, but stressing over every word is just a huge waste of time and, frankly, it doesn’t fucking matter. No client worth having is going to drop you for a little spelling error or because you didn’t phrase things “perfectly.”
Procrastination due to fear of failure: This is one of the most common things I’ve seen as a business therapist in Portland. You have all these great ideas but fail to act on them because you want everything to be done perfectly, and the fear of failure paralyzes you. My advice is: launch now, revise later. That’s Business, Baby! Truly, nothing is permanent, and you can make any changes you want down the road. The important thing is to get your work and your name out there so you can actually start moving forward.
Perfectionism in business shows up in different ways depending on where you’re at with your company, too:
Delayed launch in the start-up phase
Micromanagement in the growth phase
Resistance to change as an established business
The Psychology Behind Entrepreneurial Perfectionism
You might be wondering why you’re this way – so let’s get real about the root causes of your perfectionism in business:
Childhood and/or Family of Origin Messages: Somewhere down the line, you picked up messages about your value to people and in the world. And that value was inconsistently validated when you were a “good little girl”, when you got the A’s at school, when you were perfect in whatever way was defined by those around you.
Fear of Failure or Criticism: You’re terrified of making a mistake because you think it will destroy your reputation or business. But guess what? Everyone fucks up, even the most successful entrepreneurs. Learning from mistakes is growth, not failure.
Imposter Syndrome: You’re constantly waiting to be “found out” as a fraud, so you overcompensate by trying to be perfect. The truth is that most of us feel like imposters sometimes – but successful people find support to navigate it when they get stuck or overwhelmed.
Unrealistic Expectations: You’ve set the bar so high that it’s impossible to reach (which makes it super easy to be critical of yourself every time you inevitably don’t). And in the rare chance you do reach those star-high expectations, you push that goal farther out before you even take a moment to recognize your success. You’ve got to bring those expectations back down to Earth, my friend!
These perfectionist tendencies go hand-in-hand with anxiety, depression, and burnout.
It’s a toxic cocktail that can seriously mess with your mental health and business success.
How to Overcome Perfectionism to Succeed in Business
Alright, here’s what you’ve been waiting for… The Insider Knowledge!
And, since you know I got you, I also threw in some experiments to overcome that pesky perfectionism mindset:
The “Shitty First Draft” Challenge: For one week, submit the first draft of everything you do. Seriously! Whether it’s a half-assed report, email, or client presentation, do one draft with no revisions and just go with it. It saves SO much time and energy, and I bet you’ll be surprised by how good your “bad” work actually is.
Set a “Fuck It” Timer: When you’re stuck in a perfectionist rut, set a timer for 20 minutes. When it goes off, you have to stop and submit whatever you’ve finished. No more agonizing over every little detail. The goal is simple: Get Shit Done.
The “Embrace the Suck” Challenge: This is a journaling exercise to do for one or two projects, not every single time. Pick a task you’re worried about and identify three ways it could go wrong. Then, create a plan for how you’d deal with each scenario. This isn’t about preventing mistakes; the idea is to show you that when things don’t go according to plan, you will be able to handle it.
Imperfection Show-and-Tell: In your next team meeting or client call, share something you royally screwed up. Be honest and vulnerable about it. It’s liberating to let go of the flaws you usually work so hard to hide. It normalizes imperfection, and you’ll probably find out everyone else is hiding their own fuck-ups, too. BONUS TIP: Let them know how you will address the “mess-up” after you admit to it. It’ll give you and the other folks comfort, highlighting your accountability and lowering your anxiety.
The “Good Enough” Mantra: Designate a fun stamp or sticker as your “Good Enough” label. Use it liberally on your work when you’re tempted to keep tweaking. This helps you move on instead of constantly revising, and it proves how much more productive you are when you break the perfectionism habit.
Perfectionism is just fear in a fancy suit. These exercises are about stripping that suit off and getting comfortable with the naked, imperfect truth of business and life.
Your ideal clients don’t need or want another polished, pretend-perfect professional.
They need someone real who can show them it’s okay to be a damn human sometimes, even in business.
Perfectionism feels like a safety net, but it’s actually a fucking cage.
It’s time to break free of perfectionism in business and embrace the messy reality of entrepreneurship.
Your clients, team, and sanity will thank you for it.
Striving for excellence is admirable, but perfectionism is simply a dead end.
You’ve got to redefine success on your own terms – terms that include room for growth, mistakes, and yes, even failure.
So, my perfectionist friend, are you ready to take the leap into imperfection?
Trust me, the water’s fine and monster-free.
And if you need help diving in, I’m your go-to business therapist in Portland.
Remember… Imperfection is where the magic happens!