I’d like to share something that has been on my mind.

I'm tired of the constant focus to do things that aren't aligned to our natural way of doing things. 

"You need to come out of your shell and be more outgoing." (introversion)

"You're too aggressive; you need to tone it down." (ambition)

"You need to speed things up and be more efficient." (patience)

"You should be more practical and grounded." (dreaminess)

"You need to plan ahead and be more structured." (spontaneity)

"Who in the room is a recovering perfectionist?" (perfectionism)

Instead of dwelling on what's “wrong”, we should embrace our true selves with a resounding 'hell yeah!' 

We should embrace what comes naturally to us (our strengths) and stop feeling ashamed! 

Authenticity is our strength, and it's time to own it… by standing tall and proud. However, we must also be mindful that every strength can have a flip side. By understanding this balance, we can harness our traits effectively without letting them become our weaknesses.

Today, I want to use perfectionism as my example. But just know, I believe we should embrace all our natural traits!

Perfectionism Explained

As normal, let’s start with the basics. Perfectionism is typically characterized by:

• High Standards: Setting ambitious and often unattainable goals.

• Critical Self-Evaluation: Constantly assessing oneself against high benchmarks.

• Fear of Failure: Intense fear of making mistakes or failing to meet expectations.

• Procrastination: Delaying tasks due to fear of not achieving perfection.

• All-or-Nothing Thinking: Viewing situations in black and white terms, with no middle ground.

• Overemphasis on Approval: Seeking validation and approval from others.

• Difficulty Delegating: Reluctance to delegate tasks, fearing others won't meet high standards.

Reframing Perfectionism as Strengths

Now let’s turn things around and look at the positive aspects of perfectionism:

• High Aspirations: Perfectionists set ambitious goals, driving them to achieve more.

• Keen Self-Awareness: Constant self-evaluation ensures continuous improvement.

• Commitment to Excellence: Perfectionists are dedicated to delivering top-quality work.

• Thoughtful Planning: Detailed planning helps in foreseeing potential issues and addressing them proactively.

• Valuing Feedback: Openness to constructive criticism leads to better outcomes.

• Strong Ownership: Taking responsibility ensures accountability and reliability.

See how perfectionism looks pretty f*cking amazing now?

Let’s turn things around just a little bit more by leveraging these strengths to overcome potential weaknesses of perfectionism.

Leveraging Strengths to Overcome Weaknesses

Understanding how to use the strengths of perfectionism to counter its weaknesses is key to managing this trait effectively:

• High Aspirations to Overcome Fear of Failure: Use your ambitious goals to motivate you rather than intimidate you. Break down these goals into smaller, achievable tasks to mitigate the fear of failure.

• Keen Self-Awareness to Combat Procrastination: Your self-awareness can help you recognize when you're procrastinating. Use this awareness to implement time management strategies that keep you on track.

• Commitment to Excellence to Challenge All-or-Nothing Thinking: Strive for excellence without getting trapped in all-or-nothing thinking. Understand that excellence can be achieved in stages and doesn't require perfection in every aspect.

• Thoughtful Planning to Ease Critical Self-Evaluation: Detailed planning can help reduce the intensity of self-criticism by providing a clear roadmap and milestones, making progress tangible and less subjective.

• Valuing Feedback to Reduce Overemphasis on Approval: Shift your focus from seeking approval to valuing constructive feedback. This change can transform how you perceive others' opinions, viewing them as opportunities for growth rather than validation.

• Strong Ownership to Address Difficulty Delegating: Leverage your sense of ownership to mentor & trust others. Use your inherent responsibility & commitment to high standards to positively influence and empower those around you. Start delegating smaller tasks and provide clear guidance to ensure they meet your standards, gradually building confidence in their capabilities.

Balancing Strengths and Weaknesses

To leverage the strengths of perfectionism while overcoming its potential drawbacks, focus on practical strategies that maintain high standards without the stress of unrealistic expectations:

1. Set Realistic Goals: Define what success looks like for each task. Break down larger goals into manageable steps.

2. Embrace Authenticity: Recognize that aiming for a level between "good enough" and "perfect" is practical due to time, energy, and resource limitations.

3. Define the Range: Establish criteria for "good enough" and "perfect" for each task and aim for a completion level that falls within this range.

4. Acknowledge The Reality: The “Reality” is the time, energy, and resources you have available in a given situation. Understand that The Reality of the current situation influences whether the task meets a level slightly above "good enough" or closer to "perfect."

5. Permission to Complete: Give yourself permission to consider tasks complete once they meet the criteria within this defined range, balancing high standards with practicality.

Example Implementation

Imagine you're a solopreneur preparing to launch an online course. Here's how you can define and aim for the range:

• Define The Perfect: A course that is thoroughly researched, professionally designed, includes high-quality video lectures, interactive elements, quizzes, and comprehensive support materials.

• Set The Good Enough Meter: A course that covers the key topics, is clearly structured, and includes basic materials like slides and PDFs.

• Aim For Somewhere In Between: A well-structured course with clear and engaging content, well-designed slides, good quality video lectures, and supporting materials that are useful but not exhaustive.

The Reality:

• Time: You have a tight deadline because your launch date is approaching.

• Resources: Your budget is limited, allowing for some professional help but requiring you to do most of the work yourself.

• Energy: You’re motivated but also managing other aspects of your business.

Given these realities, aim for somewhere in the middle. This means creating a well-structured course with engaging content and good quality video lectures, supported by well-designed slides and essential materials. This approach ensures high quality while managing your time and resources effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Recognize the Value: Appreciate the benefits of high standards while accepting practical limitations.

• Define Criteria: Set clear definitions for "good enough" and "perfect" and aim for a balanced completion level.

• Acknowledge Reality: Consider available time, energy, and resources to determine the task’s quality level.

• Embrace Strengths: Utilize the strengths of perfectionism without letting it hinder progress.

• Celebrate Achievements: Reflect on how this balanced approach benefits productivity and well-being.

By embracing the strengths of perfectionism and balancing them with practical strategies, you can maintain high standards without the stress of always aiming for perfection.

This topic has really gotten me all fired up lately, so if you want a thought partner to think through how you can embrace perfectionism or any other natural trait that is often called out as a negative, I’d love to chat. 

Book a free discovery call today! CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE

The One Thing ⬇️

Remember, your perfectionism is a powerhouse of potential! By embracing your high standards and setting realistic goals, you can achieve excellence without burning out. Focus on what truly matters, celebrate your accomplishments, and give yourself the freedom to be perfectly imperfect. Keep striving for greatness within practical limits, and watch your business soar.