If perfectionism is your worst enemy you are not alone. We might associate perfectionism with excellent work, when in reality perfectionism oftentimes leads towards no progress, the feeling of being stuck, overthinking and procrastination. It‘s time to acquire a new mantra: done is better than perfect. 

Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there’s no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal.

-Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

Perfectionism and procrastination are often very closely related. The fact that you are procrastinating, or in other words avoiding tasks that have a high priority, can sometimes be due to the fear of delivering imperfect work or fear of criticisms. In a way, perfectionism is a self-protection mechanism, if nobody sees our work then nobody can criticise us. If you are not progressing in your work, don‘t beat yourself up because you think you are lazy; instead, consider if in reality you are being too perfectionist or even fear the consequences of finishing a task. 

How to beat perfectionism? As discussed earlier the first step is to be self-aware of our feelings. The next, is to allow ourselves to be imperfect. For example, the easiest way to get writing done is to write an ugly draft first and edit in the second round of revision. This seems obvious but sometimes we have so high expectations and standards of ourselves that we forget that progress happens throughout several rounds of revisions. However, make sure you set yourself a limit of revisions. 

If you are stuck because you feel anxious, find out where your anxiety is coming from. In creative work this is almost always related to the fear of feedback. Sometimes we need to acknowledge that what other people think is non of our business. Instead, getting the work out in the world is, and should be the main focus. 

Procrastination if the fear of failure.

-Kristin Neff

My personal pitfall is overplanning. Sometimes perfectionism leads to spending too much time planning and too little time doing. Having said that, strategy oftentimes wins over execution. Having the perfect balance is crucial in getting things done. So is having the confidence to take the leap towards action. 

In summary, perfectionism can sometimes indicate self-doubt. Be mindful about what is holding you back. Fear is a perfectly normal reaction to the unknown (read more on Deal with change). Feel the fear. And then do it anyway. 

Further reading: 

Getting unstuck in creative work: Show your work, 10 ways to share your creativity and get discovered by Austin Kleon

Getting unstuck in life: You are a badass: how to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life by Jen Sincero 

Getting unstuck in writing: On writing: a memoir of the craft by Stephen King