Is there a way around perfectionism?

Have you ever let your desire to create something that is perfect stop you from ever getting anything done?

I have.

I think my personal perfectionism is my single greatest weakness. 

I come up with these creative ideas, but instead of actually starting the project to see if I can create what I see in my head, I make up excuses for why I shouldn’t even start.

“This isn’t going to be good enough” or “I won’t be able to execute it the way I envision it” are thoughts that are often swirling around my head.

For a long time, I didn’t realize how detrimental it was to me and my creative flow. It wasn’t until I delved deep into meditation and self-talk exercises that I realized I was allowing one part of my mind to stop me from truly being creative with all of the wonderful ideas the other part of my mind was creating… and this got me thinking, “I bet many who follow me also suffer from this paralysis in some way or another.”

So I want to share with you my experiences in the hope that you’ll understand that you’re not alone!

I am a perfectionist. But I’m trying to transition from a person who seeks perfection to a person who strives to just achieve something. Because even my failures have been learning experiences. 

That’s why my mantra when I think of a new idea or need to get something written or finish a painting has become “done is better than perfect.”

I think I first heard this saying from Sheryl Sandberg, in her best selling book Lean In. 

I didn’t read the book, so I’m not sure how she defines this phrase. But I define it for myself as a phrase that allows me to still be proud of my work even if I don’t meet the outcome I was hoping I would achieve. 

This gives me permission to be creative without thinking about how well my work will be received, and it's a game changer. 

It’s funny thinking back about all of this fear and anxiety that I used to let stop me from painting. I would be so worried my art didn’t meet my standards.

Instead of allowing my worry to get in my way now, I just keep pushing forward, one foot in front of the other. Working hard to stay out of my head.  I’m being more productive, getting better results, and have a heck of a lot more peace of mind than I did before I stopped overthinking my creativity. I want to be clear that I am WORKING ON THIS and have not mastered it, but every endeavor is a step in the right direction.

If you’re suffering from a similar creative paralysis from your perfectionist mindset, I want to challenge you to try telling yourself that done is better than perfect.