17/08/2025
How To Focus On Progress Over Perfection
I’m a perfectionist. And honestly, it’s tripped me up more than it’s ever helped me.
Perfectionism isn’t about growth — it’s about outcome. It’s a belief I can never live up to, one that makes me feel smaller than before, uninspired to keep chasing what I imagine. That mindset has killed more dreams for me than failure ever could.
In my professional career, I believe I’ve missed more opportunities than I’ve succeeded in. From struggling to fully express my coaching value to clients, to the training program that could have helped so many people but stayed unwritten for years — my perfectionist mindset kept me frozen until “perfect” felt possible. And perfect never came.
The perfectionist within doesn’t seek progress — it seeks the flawless finish. That focus can pull us away from the beauty of the journey: the hardship, the learning, the growth. When life becomes only about the end goal, the road there feels less worth walking. Perfectionism becomes self-defeating. It becomes an enemy instead of an asset
But here’s the good news: perfectionism can still serve you — just not in the beginning. Shift your focus to progress first, and save your perfectionist energy for the final stretch. That way, it sharpens what you’ve already built instead of stopping you from starting at all.
Shifting from perfection to progress isn’t about lowering your standards — it’s about building toward them. Here’s how you can do it:
1. See your current circumstances as the perfect opportunity for change instead of expecting them to be the perfect circumstance. This allows us to centre where we are and start creating the actionable steps to where we want to go.
2. Write out your idea and vision. Paint the picture clearly of what you want. The clearer the picture, the easier it is to break down. Too vague and the actions won’t align with the vision in mind
3. Build the journey. In the first steps you want to start vague, building the foundations of your vision. Laying groundwork for every house looks the same. Map out the steps from where you are to the vision using your awareness of the present and the picture of your goal.
4. Just start. Minimise the time between inspiration and action so your vision stays clear and motivation remains high. Start on step one and treat it as the only step that matters right now. Once completed focus on the next step in your journey.
5. Be consistent. Most efforts fall through about halfway because initial motivation drops and other priorities take over. Set aside dedicated time for this project every day if you can, even if it’s only 30 minutes. The more consistent our efforts the more committed we can be.
6. Refine your focus as you approach the final vision. As you get closer to the end you can focus more on the perfect outcome.
Perfectionism isn’t your enemy — impatience is. In the early stages, give progress the driver’s seat. When you’re closing in on the finish line, hand the wheel to your perfectionist side and let it fine-tune your work into something magical.
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