The perfectionist paralysis

Perfectionism is paralyzing.

Take for example this website.

This site, which is one of the first steps I have taken to launch my business, serves as a resource for small businesses looking to build their brand and connect with customers through social media.

Untitled design

It took months for me to launch my website, and the entire process served as a great lesson on what I now refer to as the perfectionist paralysis. 

Take for example my “about” page.

You’d think it would be easy to write that. After all, I know more about my story than anyone else.

Well, it’s just not that simple.

It took weeks to turn the page into something that I could be proud of – something that I felt spoke to my passion and personality. And even then, it still wasn’t perfect.

I’ve settled in to the fact that my website isn’t perfect, and it probably never will be.

In fact, as Seth Godin would surely tell me, if my site was perfect upon launch, I waited too long to launch.

I waited too long to launch because I had been telling myself that I wasn’t ready. I mean, I still had WordPress plugins that I wanted to install!

I fell into the perfectionist paralysis. 

What I’m realizing now is that starting my own business means that I am signing up for a lifetime of imperfection – and I’d better get comfortable with that.

There will always be more to learn; there will always be more work to do; there will always be new, different and better ways to deliver value to my clients and/or myself.

We get paralyzed by perfectionism, and it prevents us from doing work that we love.

If you are waiting for your website to be perfect before you launch, you’ll never launch it.

If you are waiting to be an expert before you start your business, you’ll never start your business.

So, here’s a secret: I am by no means an expert in social media marketing. In fact, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of people who know more than me, have more experience and resources.

Here’s another secret: I am really passionate. I want to make this business work because I believe it in with all of my being.

So, regardless of the “expertise advantage” that some people have over me, and despite the glitches that I will inevitably find in my website, I am launching.

I am reminding myself that it’s OKAY to put my work out there.

I am giving myself permission to try to build something that I believe in. 

I am no longer waiting to become an expert, or have a perfect website.

I am embracing the imperfections, and leaping anyway.

And I give you permission to do the exact same thing: put your work out in to the world, make mistakes and learn from them.

I give you permission to not let perfectionism paralyze you any longer. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.