The Hard Truth: Why You Need to Stop Being a Perfectionist
May 16, 2022
Today’s post is all about perfectionism. Am I speaking directly to you? Let’s go through a little question and answer so you can decide if you’re a perfectionist or not:
- Do you think being a perfectionist is a positive or admirable quality?
- Do you think being a perfectionist is somewhat of a badge of honor?
If you answered yes to either of those, you may just be hiding behind your perfectionism. This is especially common for people who are accountants or bookkeepers, because you’re drawn to things that have a process, flow, and a definite answer.
I understand that, but life is about more than the data and the numbers. Let’s talk more about why it’s time for you to shed your perfectionist tendencies in the name of your business and success below.
The Hard Truth of Perfectionism
Perfectionism and people-pleasing go hand in hand, and it’s true that women tend to take on this quality more. I’m here to tell you something: we have to undo this crap. When it comes to being an employee, it’s very likely that you:
- Value getting things right
- Love making people happy
- Are great at doing what you’re told
- Constantly work really hard to get promoted
But, the hard truth is that to be successful in running your own business, you need to pretty much do the opposite of what it took to be a star employee. That’s right - what made you an excellent employee is not going to make you a great boss.
It’s so important that we start playing by a different set of rules and shed our perfectionism to be successful in business, as that’s simply what’s demanded of us.
Perfectionism = Fear
Another hard truth is that being a perfectionist means you need to get over yourself. Yup, I said it. Your perfectionism is likely keeping you from doing the things you REALLY want, all because your social media content isn’t perfect or you’re not quite ready to pitch yourself as an expert in your field or the product or service you want to launch isn’t 100 percent perfect yet.
Well, allowing that to be the case is just paralyzing you from moving forward. It’s all a fear of failure, a fear that things won’t go as planned, or a fear that people will judge you manifesting itself into what we like to call perfectionism.
This is an incredibly disempowered way to live and it’s NOT something to be proud of. It just means you’re stalling - and I’ll tell you this: while you’re stalling, someone else is moving forward and taking action.
True perfectionism isn’t achieved by standing on the sidelines. Instead, it’s a process that’s achieved by doing things and facing your fears. That’s what allows you to improve your craft, your messaging, your skills, and so on.
Shedding the Perfectionism Ego
Perfectionism - at least the way that most pursue it - is actually quite egotistical. That’s because your fears surrounding your mistakes imply that people care about them. No one really has time for that, and if they do - I can promise you they’re not people worth worrying about.
Instead of making the assumption that people are going to judge us, let’s free ourselves by knowing that people aren’t keeping score. If they are watching, it’s because you’ve got it all figured out enough to not be embarrassed. And the other people watching us are cheering us on.
Choosing Your Perfectionism Path: The Bottom Line
So now’s your time to choose - will you hide behind perfectionism out of the fear of being judged? Remember that the people who already have their judgments about you will continue to regardless.
So, take the chance, stand up, and say it. You deserve the chance to serve your audience. Don’t continue to perfect what you’re stalling on. Get up and do it, allowing yourself the chance to learn. Don’t let your fears paralyze you under the guise of perfection. The biggest failure ever is inaction, so undergo that trial and error, which is where you can work towards perfectionism in a real and valuable way.
Ready to take action? Apply for the program that's right for you:
If you're looking for more insight on how to become a bookkeeper, and how to say hello to a more confident business model, enroll in Become A Bookkeeper (BABs).
Or to learn more about growing your bookkeeping business and hiring a team, enroll in Life By The Books™ (Libby).
If you have enjoyed this blog post, head on over to Instagram and share your IG stories and tag me, @orderlyaccountingbykatie
