Three Ways How Perfectionists Can Get Out Of Their Way
Perfectionism is everywhere you look, online and offline. If you look at social media, you’ll see countless flawless people’s lives.
The pressure is unrelenting, and individuals often feel pressured to meet unrealistic standards. The constant comparison to carefully edited online personas can foster a culture of Perfectionism, where anything less than the ideal is viewed as a failure.
Industries aren’t helping because they compete with one another, and constant innovation has led to higher expectations and performance demands in the workplace.
It’s hardly surprising that these perfectionist tendencies have penetrated at an employee level, where individuals feel they must constantly strive to stand out and excel in their careers. However, our perception of Perfectionism determines whether it’s an asset or an obstacle in pursuing professional success.
Here are Three Ways Perfectionists Can Get Out Of Their Way
- Know the Difference Between Right and Perfect
It is essential to understand the difference between right and perfect.
Does everything have to be perfect? No. Just do it. When you ease off with the perfectionism mindset, you’ll go easy on yourself, be kinder and be willing to innovate and take the next step.
I believe those who improve themselves and continuously learn usually tend to have a better sense of the right opportunity or timing. How? They’ll make the necessary effort to help them move to the next step/stage.
Momentum leads to the next steps becoming less daunting. They’re willing to seek help or connect with people who can support them.
2. Learn Something New Each Day
I’m a big fan of delivering high-quality work, but I believe you can supercharge your growth and development by learning something new each day.
Learning Comes in Many Forms. Gone are the days when the classroom provided the majority of learning. That’s not the case anymore because learning is everywhere, online, offline, on-site, offsite. It just depends on you and your preferred learning style.
Why is learning so important when you want to make a project/idea perfect? Learning helps you appreciate that growth takes time. It’s virtually impossible to master something overnight.
Hence, this is where patience comes in, which is the game changer. Not only will it stop you from chasing perfection, but it will also rein you in and get you to look at your project/idea from different perspectives.
3. Ditch The Excuses
In the quest for perfection, many people devise excuses that stop them from taking the one step they need to move forward.
Excuses are often called ‘the thief of time’. Why? Tomorrow appeals to the ‘Excuse Brigade’ because it takes them off the hook today. But guess what happens to these people? Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and another year passes.
To overcome the excuses, you must understand when and why you will likely make them. Once you know why, get ready to put one foot forward. How? Set specific deadlines, break down large tasks into manageable chunks, and utilise productivity techniques like the Pomodoro Technique. The best way to get something done is to begin.
Imagine The Following
Scenario 1: Jan works in the creative industry and is a perfectionist. He produces excellent quality work, which his clients love. However, 8/10 times, he is likely to miss his deadlines. This is an ongoing contentious issue for his manager because he wants Jan to speed things up as his department has missed their quarterly targets and Top Management has started ‘grumbling’.
The feedback Jan received during his annual 360 Appraisal was the following: “The work was exceptional standard, but you missed his Quarterly targets”. Subsequently, Jan also missed out on a top bonus.
Jan is unhappy because he spent much time in and out of working hours to complete the work. Jan feels demotivated and is thinking about looking for another job.
Scenario 2: Jay works for Top Financial Services Company in the front office as a Private Banker to HMWI (High Net Worth Individuals). Jay manages a portfolio of London-based clients and works long hours because it is within the territory.
Jay often works outside office hours because that’s what his clients expect, and
they pay a premium for the service. Jay won the Private Banker of The Year Award at his firm.
Jay doesn’t mind because he loves his work and has built an excellent relationship with his clients. Jay’s boss is pleased because he exceeded his targets in 2022.
His hard work has also paid off because his client portfolio has grown significantly; he got top scores in his annual review and was rewarded appropriately with an all-time high bonus in 2022.
Both Jan and Jaz are perfectionists who excel at what they do. However, in Jan’s case — Scenario 1, being a perfectionist, it’s gone against him because his boss isn’t happy with the continuous missed deadlines, the appraisal wasn’t perfect, plus he missed his bonus.
On the other hand, Jay is also a perfectionist, and it’s worked in his favour. He got the Private Banker of The Year Award, a top bonus and exceeded his targets.
Perfect is a mindset, too. Both the characters above fostered a different perspective. It worked for Jay, but not for Jan. Why? Jan was determined to produce excellent results each time, but this obsession made him miss his deadlines. He would have met his targets if he’d focused on producing a high-quality result.
N: B — Please note that both are fictitious characters and do not resemble anyone in either industry.
Call to Action — Reflective Journaling Exercise
Weekly Reflection
At the end of each week, set aside 30 minutes to reflect on your work or personal projects. Consider moments when you strove for perfection and identify what drove those feelings. Was it fear of failure, high self-expectations, or external pressures?
Evaluate the Impact
For each instance, assess the impact of your Perfectionism. Did it enhance the outcome or lead to unnecessary stress, delays, or missed opportunities? Be honest about whether your pursuit of perfection was beneficial or detrimental.
Identify Alternative Approaches
Reflect on what you could have done differently. Could a ‘good enough’ approach have sufficed, allowing you to meet deadlines or reduce stress without significantly compromising quality? Consider strategies that could have balanced quality with efficiency.
Set Actionable Goals
Based on your reflections, set realistic goals for the following week. These could include specific instances where you will intentionally aim for ‘good enough’ rather than perfect, techniques to manage time more effectively, or ways to mitigate the stress associated with Perfectionism.
Monitor Progress
At the end of the next week, revisit your journal and assess your progress towards these goals. Reflect on changes in stress levels, work satisfaction, and overall productivity. Adjust your goals and strategies as needed, continuing this cycle of reflection and improvement.
Parting Comments
There are no endless tomorrows; once you get your head around them, you’ll start getting things done. As an Executive Coach, I’m a big fan of high-quality work, but when someone says they’re a perfectionist, I start thinking about how they perceive perfection.
A perfectionist mindset influences your career progression depending on the circumstances and mindset. It works in some cases but not others.
Perfectionism could lead to burnout or career demotivation, as was the case of the fictitious character, Jan, in the above scenario.
However, it is essential to get the right balance because every piece of work you do doesn’t have to be perfect. Giving 100% each time is also unsustainable in the long term.
Thank you for your attention.
Follow me for more valuable tips.
Pervin
linktr.ee/AimHighLtd
