What If Imperfection Is The Point?
Don't let perfectionism stop you in your tracks
Mindset is such a huge part of building a creative business, or any type of business for that matter. So one of the things we’re going to dig into here is what it takes to thrive as an entrepreneur, and what type of mindset work you might need to do to achieve the success you’re looking for. Because in many cases, it’s not the strategy or tools that are our stumbling blocks… it’s what goes on in our own minds.
And yes, I will be doing the work right alongside you, because goodness knows, I have mindset work to do too!
The Trouble With Perfectionism
Today we’re going to talk a bit about perfectionism and how to let go of that. Because, speaking from my own experience as a creative soulpreneur, I find that the tendency to want perfection in everything I do can be a real barrier to success in more ways than one.
When you don’t release anything for sale because it’s not perfect, then you’re not making any money in your business, and that takes a toll on your mental health because not only are you left feeling like you’re not good enough, you’re also creating a lot of financial stress for yourself too.
To put it simply, a perfectionism stifles creativity, slows down your progress, and prevents you from achieving the success you’ve set out to create for yourself. As a friend said to me the other day…
“Perfectionism sneaks in and convinces you you’re not ready – even when you know you are.”
What If We Embrace Imperfection Instead?
Or at least the idea of “good enough?”
I’ve been noticing a trend for the past little while… and it seems that perfectionism is on its way out. People are moving away from the need to be polished and perfect 24/7 toward being more real, more raw, and more authentic. And it’s not only becoming a trend among the creative entrepreneurs I follow, but among customers and subscribers too.
People are craving connection and wanting to know the real people behind the brands, not just the polished, curated personas that are impossible to live up to. There is a real need for honest conversations, discussion of real issues, and a sense that it’s okay to not be perfect as long as we do our best and are honest about what’s important to us.
Which brings us to the realization that maybe being perfectly imperfect has been the point all along.
So, how do we let go of the need for perfectionism?
Steps to Overcoming Perfectionism
1. Embrace “Good Enough”
One step to overcoming perfectionism is to embrace the idea of “good enough.” I’ll be the first to admit that it’s easier said than done, but it can be done, and the Creative Biz News Extra! is living proof of that. It’s not perfect by a long shot, but it’s done, and I can continue to tweak it and make it better with each new post and email. I put off launching it for almost 3 months, because the look and feel wasn’t exactly what I wanted.
The lesson I learned: Start where you are, tweak and refine as you go.
Action Step: Pick a project you’ve been avoiding. Set a timer. Get it to “good enough” in the next 60 minutes. Hit publish or send – imperfections and all.
2. Embrace “Good Enough”
Recovering perfectionists need to realize that making a mistake is not an abject failure. When you see it as a way to grow instead, you create opportunities to embrace your creativity, spark new ideas, and stretch the boundaries of your comfort zone to see what you can come up with.
Action Step: Journal about a recent mistake. What can you learn from this, and how can it help you grow, pivot, or improve?
3. Celebrate Your Wins
I am a huge believer in celebrating your wins, no matter how small they might seem. It’s way too easy in our society these days to focus on the gaps and the lacks and not see what we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come.
The perfectionist mindset has trained us to overlook the positive things and focus on the negative.
Embracing imperfection means you flip the script and celebrate every. single. step. forward.
Action Step: At the end of the day, write down one thing you want to celebrate, no matter how small.
More Mindset Shifts To Consider
4. Share Your Journey
Being open and willing to share about the your mess is powerful. It builds connections and reminds you that a) you’re not alone in this; and b) imperfection is a part of the creative process.
I’ll go first…
My perfectionist self really wants to knock me down because this post, and the whole concept of the Extra! isn’t quite as refined as I’d like it yet, and because it took me ages to launch and re-launch.
Instead, I am celebrating the fact that I have a pretty decent piece of content to share with you here. And I am celebrating that you are reading this because I had the courage to put myself out here to talk about something that is a personal struggle for me, and actually hit the publish button!
And finally…
5. Be Kind To Yourself
Chances are you’re not going to get things right on the first try, especially if you’re experimenting and trying new things. Give yourself permission to be less than perfect, whether you’re creating for yourself or for your business.
Because really, there are no rules when it comes to being a creative soulpreneur, other than to embrace yourself in all your imperfect glory and let your creative energy flow.
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
About
I believe you should be able to build your business your way and that what lights you up should lead the way. I’m here to help you make it creative, aligned, and built for flow. Your ideas, your magic, your quirks? They're more than enough to make it work.