Letting Go of Perfect: What Finally Set Me Free

“Perfection is man's ultimate illusion. It simply doesn't exist in the universe. If you are a perfectionist, you are guaranteed to be a loser in whatever you do.”

 — Thomas Curran, The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough

When I read that quote, I held my breath.

“OMG… is this me?”

Is this why I’ve been struggling?

Is this why I keep talking about the workshops and programs I want to launch—yet somehow never hit publish?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written, re-written, tweaked, and over-edited content that was more than ready. I’d ask for feedback, sit on it, tweak it again. It was never “good enough.”

You’d think that after decades of experience and more certifications than I can count, I’d simply outline what I know works, build the course, and launch it.

But nope. That perfectionist voice was loud.

Was it fear?

Limiting beliefs?

Was it perfectionism?

The answer: yes, yes, and yes.

Starting something new—no matter how excited you are about it—is still scary. Our unconscious mind resists change. That fear of “not being enough” or “not delivering enough value” feels very real.

And if it didn’t sound perfect to me, how could I offer it to anyone else?

Here’s the truth:

It took a great mentor, a great coach, and a great friend to lovingly call me out.

To remind me: Perfect doesn’t exist. Done does.

They challenged me to stop apologizing.

To stop saying “I’m working on it.”

To implement anyway.

So I did.

✅ I launched the business.

✅ I created and taught the masterclasses.

✅ I hosted the workshops.

✅ I started helping others get results—real results—in their businesses and lives.

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What I’ve Learned Along the Way

• Coaches need coaching. No matter how trained or experienced you are, it’s damn hard to coach yourself. We all need someone to hold the mirror up and push us forward.

  
  

• Fear is sneaky. The fear of letting people down… of not measuring up… of being seen as anything less than excellent—it’s real. And working through it isn’t easy. But it is possible.

  
  

• Perfectionism is personal. It’s not one-size-fits-all. It’s often something we’ve learned—tied to past experiences or expectations we internalized long ago. But once we see it, we can shift it.

I’m Curious…

Does any of this sound familiar?

Are you stuck in “it has to be perfect” mode—when “this is good enough” would change everything?

Here are a few tips that helped me move forward. I hope they help you too.

1. Redefine Success with Clear, Flexible Standards

Instead of aiming for perfect outcomes, define what “done” or “successful” looks like before you start. Ask yourself:

• What’s the goal of this task?

• What result would move me forward, even if it’s not perfect?

This helps build a “progress over perfection” mindset and prevents endless tweaking.

Swap this thought: “It has to be flawless.”

For this: “It needs to be useful or impactful enough right now.”

2. Practice Self-Compassion, Especially When You Miss the Mark

Perfectionists often tie their self-worth to outcomes. When something isn’t ideal, pause and talk to yourself like you would a friend:

• “It’s okay to be human.”

• “What can I learn from this?”

  
  

This builds resilience and reinforces that failure isn’t fatal—it’s feedback.

Daily check-in: “Did I show up and give what I could today? That counts.”

3. Limit Time or Iterations on a Task

Set a time block or version limit for tasks—then stick to it. For example:

• “I’ll spend 30 minutes writing this and one round of edits, then send it.”

 Time constraints help retrain your brain to value completion over perfection.

The truth is: perfection isn’t what people connect with—authenticity is. Your voice, your ideas, your efforts—they don’t need to be flawless to be powerful. So if you’re waiting for perfect, let this be your permission to choose progress instead. You’re more ready than you think.