Chronicles
16 August 2023
Let's put an end to toxic perfectionism once and for all!
Perfectionism is considered toxic when it becomes a mental prison. Your concern for a job well done has always been admired, even during your studies, where you produced quality work exceeding the expectations of your teachers and this continued in your career, where you satisfied your employers. However, at what cost? Your perfectionism has, over time, ended up generating intense stress, permanent dissatisfaction and unattainable goals, it has now become toxic. Then it's time to break those shackles especially if you're starting your own business or practice, it's time to overcome toxic perfectionism so you can move forward.
Toxic perfectionism turns out to be the worst enemy in the entrepreneurial world. Very often, it is a facade.
This facade is an attempt to protect yourself, but a protection against what?
It stems from several fears:
• Fear of being judged.
• Fear of failure.
• Fear of disappointing.
These fears have intensified since you became self-employed. They swirl around in your mind relentlessly.
You ask yourself: What if my work was deemed mediocre? Or worse, if I was thought to be deceiving people? How can I prove my legitimacy by getting started? But, in the end, will I really succeed in finding clients? Won't I be ridiculed for trying to build my business? What if the people around me looked at me differently?
The fear of failure
Your toxic perfectionism is your defense mechanism against these fears.
You want to build the perfect business, with breakthrough offerings and exceptional service from the get-go. However, your fear of judgment, disappointment and failure paralyzes you, keeping your ideas stuck at the stage of mere blueprints on paper. They remain largely unexplored, even ignored.
How does this toxic perfectionism manifests itself?
• You procrastinate regularly.
• You have trouble setting priorities.
• You never manage to finalize your projects.
These manifestations reveal the toxic nature of your perfectionism.
When you procrastinate, it clearly denotes the detrimental impact of your perfectionism. For example, you might shift important tasks to tirelessly tweak minor details, like redoing your site's homepage multiple times, or continually adjusting your logo colors.
In addition, the inability to set priorities handicaps you. You insist that every aspect of your business reaches the pinnacle of excellence, without distinction.
However, when starting a business, it is imperative to prioritize tasks and make informed decisions about priorities. Not setting priorities lets stress and deadlines dictate your actions.
In addition, you fail to complete your projects. This in no way reflects a lack of motivation or enthusiasm on your part, but rather a paralysis due to your perfectionism. You prefer inaction to imperfection.
Transform toxic perfectionism into constructive perfectionism.
Perfectionism can be an asset to make you stand out in business. It reflects your professional commitment and your desire to do well. However, one must learn to channel it to make it an asset for mental well-being and for the growth of any independent activity. To achieve this:
• Say goodbye to comparisons.
• Lower your standards.
• Accept that failures are learning opportunities.
When starting a business, failures are inevitable, and that's completely normal. It is precisely these failures that lead to success. Thanks to them, you will be able to adjust and refine your business to better meet the needs of your customers.
Toxic perfectionism is a protective mechanism that is put in place to protect yourself from difficult times. Unfortunately, without these moments of failure, there is no progress possible.
Ultimately, it's important to let go of the pursuit of perfection and focus on achieving concrete goals. This is how it is easier and more fluid to move forward in your entrepreneurial adventure.
Support through personal growth with a Coach, RITMA member, can help you address the issues of toxic perfectionism. Find a coach here https://www.ritma.ca/trouver-un-therapeute.php