Speaker 1: 0:31

Hey everyone and welcome back to the podcast. You may have spotted a change the name, and, while I love sharing quick, actionable steps to help you be more productive, the word hacks has never quite sat right with me. Hacks often imply shortcuts, and, while I’m all for working smarter, not harder, I believe that real productivity is about something deeper. It’s about creating sustainable habits, working with intention and designing a life that’s both productive and fulfilling. So I have made a pivot yes, a very productive thing to do at times. Check out episode eight, and the new name of this podcast is Productivity with Zest. It’s the same content you’re used to. That won’t change, but it is aligned to my business, zest Productivity and I hope that it shows the Zest side that I love, the side of me that wants to be more productive in a way that lets me live a life of Zest, the side that approaches challenges with action and joy. When we face challenges with getting stuff done, let’s approach them with action and joy with Zest. So this is now called Productivity with Zest and I am so glad that you are joining me for the ride. Before we jump into today talking of joining me for the ride, this is the 18th episode since launching in October 2024 and at the time of recording. We are currently at 2,388 downloads in 42 countries and 342 cities. The UK still has my largest percentage of listeners, but it is so exciting to see people tuning in from all over the world. Wherever you are, from Birmingham, uk, which is the second most popular place to listen to this podcast after Leeds, to Birmingham, alabama, with seven downloads and one of the top places in the US and anywhere else you are so welcome and one of the top places in the US and anywhere else. You are so welcome and I’m so glad you’re here.

Speaker 1: 2:20

Today. We’re diving into something that I know many of us struggle with perfectionism. If you’ve ever found yourself tweaking, editing or redoing something just one more time instead of actually finishing it, this one’s for you. We’re talking about why perfectionism feels safe, why so many of us, especially high achievers, struggle with it and, most importantly, how it’s actually holding you back. So grab a cuppa, get comfy and let’s have a chat.

Speaker 1: 2:48

Hi, I’m Jasmine and I’m a perfectionist. I’ve been working on overcoming this for the last few years. I sometimes slip up and I see the consequences. I slow down, I produce less, I feel anxious and I feel like I’m back on that hamster wheel. Are you part of my club? Let’s start with a reality check that I tell myself every day.

Speaker 1: 3:10

Perfection isn’t actually achievable. Just think about it. Something could be perfect for a split second. Right now, in this exact moment, it might feel just right. But fast forward a week. You’ve learned more, you’ve gained new experiences, you’ve grown as a person. What once was perfect no longer holds up.

Speaker 1: 3:27

Perfection is fleeting. We chase perfection as if it’s a fixed destination, but the truth is it’s always shifting and in that chase we often stall, procrastinate or, worse, we never finish what we start. Being perfect isn’t achievable, and trying to achieve it makes you unproductive. If you’ve ever spent hours tweaking something, only to feel dissatisfied anyway, you’re not alone. I used to do this all the time, especially with my business. I’d spend hours obsessing over fonts, social posts, deciding the right thing to do and the exact wording in emails, until I realized it was stopping me from making real progress. So if it’s so unproductive, why do we cling to perfectionism?

Speaker 1: 4:07

Perfectionism isn’t just about wanting to do a good job. It’s psychological armor. It gives us the illusion of control and safety in an unpredictable world. If something is perfect, no one can criticise it. If we do something flawlessly, we won’t fail. At least that’s what our brains tell us. This is especially true for ambitious professionals, business owners and leaders like you, who feel an immense pressure to perform. You’ve built something, you’re responsible for making things work, and the idea of producing anything less than excellent can feel like a failure. But here’s the catch Affectionism is not the pursuit of excellent, it’s the avoidance of failure, and those two things are very different. On the other hand, the idea of good enough might not sit well with you either.

Speaker 1: 4:56

I used to work for an organisation where they said done is better than perfect, and it never sat well with me. For high achievers, good enough can feel like settling. Done can feel like settling, like you’re not trying to do your best, like putting out work that doesn’t reflect your full potential, and I get it. This is why I hated. Done is better than perfect. It just isn’t. Done is never good enough. However, I am learning that sometimes good enough is actually the smartest choice, because, if you think about it, if you spend 10 hours making something perfect when it was already great at five hours, what did that extra time actually achieve? What did that extra time actually achieve.

Speaker 1: 5:40

Sometimes we have to accept that maybe and if you really have to make me say it, done is better than perfect you hear the gritted teeth, but I strongly believe that that doesn’t mean we should accept mediocrity either. I certainly don’t with myself. So what’s the solution? There’s a middle ground. Instead of perfectionism or just settling for good enough, I believe in excellence. Excellence means doing your best within realistic limits, producing high quality work without obsessing over every detail, striving for continuous improvement instead of unattainable perfection. In other words, good enough with a cherry on top. This is the sweet spot where we still care deeply about our work, but we don’t let unrealistic standards hold us back.

Speaker 1: 6:26

I remember coaching someone last year who struggled with this. She was stalled in the pursuit of perfection, but she hated the phrase done is better than perfect. Like me, she was really successful and she looked like she had it all. But this perfectionism was coming at a cost. She didn’t spend time with her young daughter on an evening as she was dotting every I and crossing every T in her work. She craved that space to walk her dog and be at peace in the fresh air. After working on her mindset around being perfect, she arrived at our next session a different person. There was so much peace radiating from her. She’d been able to rest and recuperate and she still did all the important work she needed to do. She was also really excited about teaching her team leaders the same thing, and that ripple effect would trickle down through the whole organisation Happier, more balanced staff who still do excellent work.

Speaker 1: 7:17

There are some hidden costs of perfection. Number one it slows you down. Perfectionists often struggle to finish things. You start strong, but then you keep tweaking, over-editing, holding back because it’s not quite there yet, and the result is missed deadlines, lost momentum and unfinished projects that never see the light of day. Number two it feeds procrastination, and I know this is something lots of you struggle with, as do I Ever put off starting something because you weren’t sure that you could do it perfectly? That’s perfectionism in disguise. Your brain convinces you that waiting until you have more time, energy or inspiration is a smart move, but really you’re just avoiding the discomfort of perfection. Number three it creates overwhelm and burnout.

Speaker 1: 8:02

Perfectionism makes everything take longer than it needs to. It pushes you to work longer hours, redo tasks unnecessarily and micromanage everything. It’s exhausting. If you constantly feel drained, chances are perfectionism is at play. And number four, it keeps you playing small. And here’s the scariest part. Perfectionism doesn’t just slow you down, it stops you from taking risks, putting yourself out there and growing. You don’t launch the business, you don’t share the content, you don’t take the opportunity because you don’t feel ready. But you’ll never feel 100% ready. Action leads to readiness, not the other way around. Have I convinced you yet? Would you like to join my perfectionism recovery club? If you do, here’s how to let go of perfectionism without settling for less. The goal isn’t to accept mediocrity, it’s to embrace excellence without obsession. I want to repeat that Excellence without obsession. Here’s how.

Speaker 1: 9:01

Number one change your mindset. Choose now that you want to create a new habit of excellence without obsession. Admit to yourself that the cost of continuing in the fruitless striving for perfection is no longer something you want to pay. You do not have to settle for good enough. You can choose to work on being excellent. Your excellence is what the world needs, and by reducing the need for perfection, you will have more capacity to produce excellence with a sense of ease and joy and zest. You have the power to change what you believe. Make a promise to yourself. Write that phrase excellence without obsession, on a sticky note and put it where you can see it your bathroom mirror, or your computer monitor, or the front of your notebook. This mindset won’t shift instantly, but you will start creating this new habit, this new mindset, and you’ll feel amazing for it, believe me.

Speaker 1: 9:52

Number two adopt the 80% rule. Ask yourself, armed with your new motto of excellence, without obsession, if this were 80% done, would it still be valuable? In most cases, the answer is yes. That last 20%, the endless refining, tweaking, second guessing, often doesn’t add much value, but it drains your time and energy. So think about what does excellence look like? Not perfect. Number three reframe mistakes as learning. Instead of asking what if this isn’t good enough? Ask what will I learn from doing this? Mistakes don’t define you. They refine you. The faster you take action, the faster you can improve.

Speaker 1: 10:35

I’m just in the process of submitting my final assessments for a two-year qualification. I’ve been working on and this is a principle I’ve been applying the assessments are pass or referral, which means I get notes on where it hasn’t hit the mark and then I commit the changes. I could spend hours and hours and hours and hours and hours extra refining, tweaking, polishing to make sure it hits every single point. However, I know I’ll miss something. As I’m only human, it’s best to do it really well, focus on excellence to that level that I decide and then submit. I’ve just handed in my assignment two and it is not rubbish at all. I’ve worked really hard, but I did know when to stop. I have to fight that part of me that wants to be perfect and wants to not have a referral and, if I’m honest, I want to be celebrated as doing the best assignment anyone has ever done in the history of the qualification. I want to win awards and have lots of public recognition, which is utterly bonkers. I would never happen, but at least I’m brave enough to admit it publicly on a podcast. I will get my referrals, my mistakes, and I’ll learn from them. I’ll edit it and I’ll submit it again. Then I will accept my reward, or maybe not.

Speaker 1: 11:48

Number four is set a done deadline. Give yourself a firm deadline and commit to hitting, publish, sending the email, launching the project, even if it’s not perfect. If you’ve reached that excellence level, just get it gone. Accountability helps. So I set this week as the final date for finishing my assignment two and next week is my assignment three. As I’ve been working on them both together, I’ve told my husband and now I’ve told you a lot, so I’d better make sure I don’t tweak this episode to make it near as perfect and get it done so I can focus on those assignments.

Speaker 1: 12:22

Okay, so this week, here’s your challenge. Firstly, hold your hand up and say, yes, I’m a perfectionist, but I want to change. Recognise where it is holding you back and decide that you won’t let it anymore. Identify one thing you’ve been overthinking about or delaying because it’s not quite ready. Set a deadline and finish it at that excellent level for you and put it out there. Notice how it feels to release something without obsessing over it. And if you do this, send me a message on Instagram or LinkedIn. I’d love to hear about your experience. You could also head to zestproductivitycom forward slash podcast for more info, or even zestproductivitycom forward slash episode 18 for more on this episode. Who needs to hear this episode? Whose name is dropping in your head at the moment? Send them the link and help them join our new Recovering Perfectionists Club. If you found this episode helpful, please rate it and review it, if you can, and get in touch to let me know what you think.

Speaker 1: 13:30

Next week, I will be sharing about my superpower, focus and how you can grow this muscle. I know it’s not a muscle, but you know what I mean. I learned the hard way about this in the week that I launched this podcast last October and also launched a drastic new food plan. It was never going to happen, even for an overachiever like myself, so I’ll tell you all about that next week. So until next time, let’s stop aiming for perfect and start aiming for progress. Excellence without obsession my new mantra.