S8 Ep10: Perfectionism Is Killing Your Progress – Let’s Talk About It

Welcome back to Your Path to Career Success — the podcast that helps you build the skills, confidence, and strategies to thrive in your career.

In this just over 13-minute episode, we’re diving into a quiet but powerful career blocker: perfectionism. Whether you’re triple-checking every email, endlessly polishing projects, or waiting until you feel “ready” before making your next move, perfectionism isn’t helping you, it’s holding you back.

The truth? Perfection doesn’t create better results. It creates procrastination, missed opportunities, and a constant cycle of self-doubt. In this episode, I will share real stories, practical tips and mindset shifts to help you trade perfection for progress and start showing up with confidence.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• The difference between striving for excellence and getting trapped in perfectionism
• The sneaky signs perfectionism is slowing down your career (even if you’re high-achieving)
• Why “done and imperfect” beats “perfect and unseen” every time
• Five practical strategies to break free from perfectionism and take bold, imperfect action
• How to build momentum and confidence by celebrating progress, not just outcomes

You’ll walk away with tools to set boundaries on your time, practice self-compassion and let go of the myth of “perfect.” Because the reality is this: you don’t need to be flawless to be powerful. You need to be consistent, courageous and willing to take messy action.

So if perfectionism has been stealing your time, energy, and opportunities, this episode is your reminder that progress comes from starting — not from waiting until everything is perfect.

What Next?
Thanks so much for tuning in to Your Path To Career Success — where ambition meets inner clarity.
🦉 Ready to take your career to the next level? Book a free discovery call to explore how my 3-month Unlock Your Career Potential coaching programme or ad-hoc 1-2-1 support can support your growth.
🦉 Found this helpful? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a colleague who might need this reminder.
🦉 You can book 1-2-1 support with me here: https://calendly.com/thecareerowl
🦉 Follow me on LinkedIn for more behind-the-scenes tips, mindset shifts, and leadership insights.

Recommended Resources
To help you go deeper into releasing perfectionism and building momentum:
• Book: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown — for embracing courage, compassion, and authenticity
• Book: Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff — for practical strategies to complete what you start
• Tool: Use time-boxing or a Pomodoro timer to set healthy boundaries on tasks
• Practice: Keep a “progress journal” to capture small daily wins and build confidence

Until next time, aim for progress, not perfection. Keep showing up, take messy action, and trust that it’s all adding up. You’ve got this. 💛

Transcript

 Episode Title: Perfectionism Is Killing Your Progress – Let’s Talk About It

Hello and welcome back to Your Path To Career Success — the podcast that helps you build the skills, confidence, and strategies to thrive in your career.

I’m your host, Kathryn — career coach, leadership mentor, and recovering perfectionist — and today we’re going to talk about something that might be quietly holding you back: perfectionism.

Whether you’re someone who double- and triple-checks everything before hitting “send,” or you find yourself stuck in the planning phase of every new idea, this episode is definitely for you. Because here’s the truth: perfectionism doesn’t make you better — it makes you stuck.

It keeps you overthinking, over-editing, overworking — and under-delivering on your goals. It convinces you that you're not ready, not good enough, or not qualified — even when you are. And the worst part? It feels like you're being productive. But really, you're just spinning in circles.

So today, we’re going to stop the spin. We're going to talk about it honestly, explore why perfectionism shows up, and share how you can shift your mindset and your habits so you can move forward with more freedom, clarity, and confidence.

✨ In today’s episode, we’re diving into:
• The difference between striving for excellence and falling into the perfectionism trap
• The common signs that perfectionism is slowing down your career (even if you're high-achieving!)
• 5 practical tips to break free from perfectionism so you can take imperfect but powerful action
• Plus, I’ll share real stories — from clients, from my own journey — and a few powerful quotes to shift your perspective

So whether you’re an early career professional, a new manager, or an ambitious leader who wants to stop getting in your own way — grab your favourite beverage, find a comfy spot, and get ready to map out your leadership path with those lightbulb moments — and let’s get into it.

🎯 Section 1: The Myth of Perfection
Let’s start with a hard truth — and I’m going to say it gently, because I’ve had to say it to myself many times too:

Perfection is a myth.

It’s like chasing the horizon. No matter how fast or far you run, it stays just out of reach. You never quite arrive. And here’s the kicker: even if you get close, the goalposts move. Suddenly, “perfect” has a new definition — a higher standard, a new flaw to fix, a fresh reason to wait.

👉 As Winston Churchill famously said, "Perfection is the enemy of progress."





Let me tell you a quick story from my own journey.

When I first had the idea to start this podcast, I sat on it for months. Literally months. I was obsessing over everything — the music, the mic quality, how I sounded, whether my intro was snappy enough, whether I had enough episodes banked. I recorded and deleted more takes than I can count. I’d listen back and cringe, thinking, “Ugh — who do I think I am?”

And then a friend — who had also been sitting on her own creative idea — said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“You’re making this about being flawless instead of being helpful.”

That hit hard. Because she was right.

I had turned something that was meant to serve you — to help people navigate their careers — into something that had to be about me being polished, perfect, in control. It became about how I looked, not how I showed up.

So I let go.

I hit publish.

And I embraced the idea that done and imperfect is more valuable than perfect and unseen.

Because here’s what I’ve learned — and what I want you to take away from this:

If you wait until something is perfect, you’ll wait forever.

In that waiting, you’ll miss out on opportunities. You’ll lose momentum. And slowly, quietly, you’ll chip away at your own confidence — because nothing gets more intimidating than the thing you keep postponing.

Progress comes from action. Clarity comes from doing. Confidence comes from starting, not perfecting.

So wherever perfectionism is showing up for you — whether it's in writing that job application, launching your side project, speaking up in meetings, or just trying something new — remind yourself: it doesn’t have to be perfect.

It just has to be real. It has to be honest. It has to be you.

🧠 Section 2: Signs You Might Be a Perfectionist
You might be listening and thinking,

“Come on Kathryn, I’m just detail-oriented. I like things done properly.”

And hey — I get it. I love a colour-coded spreadsheet and an organised inbox as much as the next person. Being conscientious, reliable, and striving for high standards isn’t a bad thing. But here’s the distinction:


Healthy striving fuels progress. Perfectionism slows it down.

Perfectionism is sneaky. It often hides behind productivity — but it’s not really about being efficient or effective. It’s about control. It’s about fear. It’s about protecting ourselves from judgment, criticism, or the risk of not being enough.

So let’s look at some common signs that perfectionism might be running the show — even if you don’t call it that:

🔍 You procrastinate until conditions feel “just right.”
Maybe you tell yourself, “I’ll apply for that role when I’ve got more experience,” or “I’ll launch that idea when I’ve figured out all the details.” Spoiler: conditions are never perfect. And waiting becomes a form of avoidance.

🔍 You obsess over tiny edits and never feel done.
Whether it’s a CV, a report, or a simple email, you reread it over and over. You tweak words, change the font, come back to it tomorrow — and still feel like it’s not quite there. Meanwhile, the deadline is approaching… or already passed.

🔍 You avoid starting new things because the risk of not excelling is too uncomfortable.
Trying something new might mean you’re not the best. And for a perfectionist, that feels intolerable. So instead, you stay in your comfort zone — where you know you can perform.

🔍 You struggle to delegate.
Why? Because no one else will do it “right.” Or as well as you would. So you hold onto everything, feel overwhelmed, and maybe even resentful — but still can’t let go.

🔍 You take feedback as a personal failure.
Even constructive feedback feels like criticism. Instead of seeing it as a tool to grow, it triggers shame or self-doubt. You replay conversations in your head, analyse your tone, and start questioning your abilities.

✨ Sound familiar?
You’re not alone.

Let me share a quick story — and we’ll call her Leah.

Leah was a coaching client of mine. Incredibly smart. Highly qualified. She had great experience and was well respected in her company. She came to me because she wanted a promotion — but she kept stalling. Every time a new role came up, she’d talk herself out of applying.

Her reason?
“I don’t tick every single box.”

She was holding herself to a standard even the hiring manager didn’t expect.

So in our sessions, we did the work. We unpicked the stories she was telling herself. We looked at what was true, and what was fear. And most importantly, we created a plan to help her take action — before she felt 100% “ready.”
Long story short? She applied. Imperfectly. With a CV that we both agreed was about 85% “there” in terms of meeting the criteria in the job description.

And she got the job.

Because here’s the thing:
Confidence doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from showing up — again and again — even when you’re unsure.

So if you saw yourself in any of those signs, I want you to know — that awareness is powerful. It means you’re ready to shift.

And next, I’m going to walk you through five simple but powerful strategies to help you release perfectionism, take action, and build momentum — no matter what stage of your career you’re in.

Section 3: 5 Tips to Break Free from Perfectionism
So — we’ve named the perfectionist tendencies, and maybe you’ve recognised a few in yourself (you’re in good company, I promise). 

But let’s talk about the how. Because awareness is a great start… but change comes from action.

These five tips are small shifts with big impact — and they’ve worked for me, for my clients, and they can absolutely work for you too.

✅ Tip 1: Redefine Success
Let go of the idea that success means flawless execution.
Success can be done.
Success can be helpful.
Success can be showing up when your inner critic is screaming.

👉 Ask yourself: “What does ‘good enough’ look like for this task?”
Not ‘perfect’. Not ‘best ever’. Just — good enough to move forward.

A great reframe I like is: “How would I approach this if I were already confident?”
It helps you shift from fear into progress.

🎙️ I once worked with a client who spent three hours writing a single LinkedIn post because she was terrified of saying the wrong thing. We simplified her goal to this: “Post something useful.”
Not viral. Not profound. Just useful.

She posted it in 15 minutes — and guess what? Someone reached out about a job.

✅ Tip 2: Embrace B- Work
This one comes from the fabulous Brooke Castillo.

She says:
“B minus work that’s DONE will always outperform A plus work that’s still sitting in your drafts folder.”

Mic. Drop.
Perfectionism tells us we can’t share our work unless it’s immaculate. But the reality? Most people aren’t looking for perfect — they’re looking for value. Helpfulness. Authenticity.

So post the LinkedIn update. Apply for the job. Send the proposal.

Because nothing changes if nothing goes out into the world.

💡 A good mantra here is: “Published is better than perfect.”

Say it with me.

✅ Tip 3: Set Boundaries on Your Time
Perfectionists are time-blind.

We’ll spend 5 hours on a task that should take 1, agonising over every word, every pixel, every comma.

So here’s your challenge: put a boundary around your output.

🔔 Try this:
The next time you write something, set a timer. Give yourself 60 minutes. Do one revision pass. Then let it go.

This builds trust in your ability to work efficiently — not just thoroughly. And remember, most of the time, nobody is looking at the detail you’re obsessing over.

A client of mine once told me they’d rewritten a presentation slide title 12 times.
Twelve.

Their audience? Didn’t even notice the title. They remembered the message.

✅ Tip 4: Practice Self-Compassion
This one’s foundational. Because underneath perfectionism is often a deep fear of not being enough. 

So let’s shift the inner dialogue.

👉 Treat yourself like you’d treat a friend.
You wouldn’t tell your best mate she’s a failure for not hitting a self-imposed deadline or for needing help. You’d say:
“You’re doing your best. Keep going.”

💬 One of my favourite quotes is:
“You can’t hate yourself into a better version of yourself.” — Unknown

Growth doesn’t come from pressure. It comes from permission.

Permission to try, to learn, to fail, to improve.

💡 Something I tell my clients:
If you’re growing, you’ll mess things up sometimes. That’s not a flaw — that’s a sign you’re moving.
✅ Tip 5: Celebrate Progress, Not Just Outcomes
Perfectionists love the big win — the promotion, the praise, the shiny LinkedIn announcement.

But we often overlook the small, brave moments that get us there.

So I want you to start tracking the micro-wins:
• Did you send that awkward email you’ve been avoiding? ✅
• Finally hit “post” on your first video or blog? ✅
• Asked someone for feedback? ✅
• Gave yourself permission to take a proper lunch break? ✅

These count.
These matter.
These build momentum.

🎯 Progress isn’t one big leap — it’s a hundred little steps. And when you acknowledge those steps, you reinforce your belief in yourself. You build evidence that you're already changing.

🎙️ So as we wrap this up…
Perfectionism doesn’t make you high-achieving. It makes you hesitant.

And you? You’re made for momentum, not paralysis.

Let’s aim for consistent, not flawless. Let’s replace self-criticism with self-compassion.

And let’s remember: you don’t need to be perfect to be powerful.

Section 4: Final Thoughts 

Perfectionism might feel like a badge of honour. But it’s actually a quiet thief — stealing your time, your energy, and your growth.

What would be possible for you if you let “done” be better than “perfect”?

How much more could you achieve if you gave yourself permission to learn in public?

Start small. Try one of the tips today. Let go of 10% of your need for control — and see what opens up.

Outro 

Thanks so much for joining me on today’s episode of Your Path to Career Success. If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear how you have stopped procrastinating. Share your rituals or routines with me — send a DM, tag me, or drop me a message through the website.

📣 If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to follow, rate, and review the show. It really helps it reach others on their path to career success. 

👥 And if you know someone who could use a little encouragement, please share this episode with them. Let’s spread the calm.
I’ll see you next week on Your Path to Career Success. Until then, keep showing up, keep taking messy action, and trust that it’s all adding up.

🎙️ Bye for now!