Overcome perfection paralysis: Tips from creators of content
You've probably met someone who couldn't be able to finish their project because they thought that every part had to be perfect. But, perfection doesn't exist (truly). This is why the project sits incomplete either on their laptop or their studio. It is possible that some would consider it a waste of time since nobody gets to enjoy what the creator produced.
The tendency to be perfect can prove to be a huge obstacle for entrepreneurs and creators. According to a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, perfectionism is linked to "feelings of failure, guilt, indecisiveness, procrastination, shame, and lower self-esteem." This is why, people struggle to get ahead with their job or undertaking - which is called perfectionism paralysis.
But, how do you overcome this?
Letting go of perfectionism and revising to a more actual standard of what can be shared is challenging. To help you do this we asked two expert experts to share their experience of overcoming perfectionism during a live summit in August of 2022. Watch the video on YouTube:
Before we get into the secrets, get to know our presenters:
Steve Harris is a global business coach that helps high-performing organisations and individuals to connect the gap between their performance and potential. The self-described "ruthless" He has worked with over 1,000 clients and encouraged clients to complete their effort to achieve outstanding outcomes.
Grace Abbott is a multi-hyphenate creative strategist and brand builder who is a specialist in building businesses at the intersection of content and commerce. Her last five years have been devoted to developing To Be Magnetic - turning what was once a wellness blog into a fast-growing membership site - the most popular site for Neural Manifestation.
The responses have been edited to ensure brevity.
Why do people get caught up in perfectionism?
How have you overcome the perfection phobia?
Digital items don't need be perfect, but they do require a certain level of quality for them to make a profit. Can a designer set their standards to a degree of quality that's going to serve their business and their brand?
Grace says:
"Consider whether it reflects the quality of your content and knowledge you're planning to release? Does it convey a convincing narrative about the value you've got to offer? Also, things like making sure you're editing your copy or that you've got top-quality video and audio. Everything that is will make your user experience as high quality as it can be.
However, I believe that more than anything else, you should just go at it. You don't need to have a really high end production team to make a great video. It's possible to shoot something great on your iPhone. Be sure to ensure that there's nothing in the background and the audio quality is excellent.
What is the first thing a knowledgeable creator could take to help them produce the first digital product?
Steve says:
"I notice that the majority of business owners are engrossed with the message, and they're not looking at the marketplace. It is important to ask yourself: do I have a market that will accept my message? Then, how can you know if there's a market for your message?
It's quite simple to Ask specific questions such as:
- What's the problem which my voice or passion can solve?
- Who's the cause and requires a solution?
- Who are the people you're obligated to serve?
- How do you locate these?
- How will they be able to
- How much money are they able to spend?
- What is the reason anyone should go to you rather than all the options that are out there?