Perfectionism. It’s like kryptonite for smart people.
Almost 80% of us smarty-pants are perfectionists.
It’s what makes us awesome… and formidable…
And what stops us DEAD in our tracks.
So lost in the details we lose perspective.
It’s one thing to have Big Hairy Audacious Goals (otherwise known as BHAGs)… it’s another thing to set those goals so high they’re impossible to achieve… and to tether our self-worth to mission impossible.
That’s a recipe for depression, stress, anxiety and other health issues. Literally.
Research shows us high-achievers suffer more than the average bear… and we often leave in our wake a trail of broken dreams and broken relationships.
With great gifts, sometimes comes great suffering.
My name is Marisa Murgatroyd and I’m a perfectionist.
They say the first step to recovery is admitting that I can’t control my compulsion towards perfectionism.
So there it is.
I admit.
I admit I spent an hour researching perfectionism before writing this manifesto.
I admit that I notice mistakes from across the room. I can literally see a typo from 10 feet away.
I admit that the first thing I see is what’s wrong and how to make it better.
That gift makes me a damn good consultant.
But it doesn’t allow me to relish in my accomplishments and successes.
I’m always on to the next best greatest greenest… sound familiar?
Truth be told, that “I’ll rest when I’m dead” mentality has gotten me far… a 7-figure business in 3-years WTF?!?!!?
BUT (and that’s a big BUT) it’s holding me back from truly deeply enjoying this journey that I’m on.
From truly deeply allowing myself to BE, without needing to DO anything. To ACCOMPLISH anything. To PROVE anything.
To be… like a cloud. Or a tree. Or a rainstorm.
To create for the sheer pleasure of creation, whether or NOT it makes money or changes lives.
Whether or not you, my dear reader, likes it.
To create because I love to. Period. End of sentence.
This manifesto is for all you perfectionist entrepreneurs out there who martyr themselves on the stake of their business every single day.
Who lose themselves to their message, their tribe, their work.
I get it.
I live and breathe my message.
But that’s never enough.
So now I’m left with me.
And these stark — sometimes harsh, yet life-giving — realizations…
Repeat after me:
- I don’t have to do anything.
- My value as a person has nothing to do with what I do, create or produce.
- There is no woulda coulda shoulda….
- No musts or oughtas.
- I am intrinsically worthy.
- I deserve all the love, joy and success that I receive, regardless of what I do or where I came from.
- There is no one right way to do things.
- I am going to make mistakes. I have permission to make mistakes. The more successful I become, the more mistakes I’m going to make.
- I give my friends, my family, my team permission to make mistakes.
- Perfectionism stands in the way of my success.
- Perfectionism steals my joy and fulfillment.
- In my imperfection lies my beauty and my power.
- I am doing my best, except when I choose to cut corners. And cutting corners is OK because sometimes done is better than perfect. Progress is better than perfection.
As Thomas Edison said, “I haven’t failed. I have found 1,000 methods that don’t work.”
That’s why:
- I commit to taking one imperfect action this week.
- I commit to trusting my team to take one thing off my plate this week.
- I commit to creating for the sheer joy of creating.
- I commit to making a fool of myself one time this week.
- I commit to celebrating how far I’ve come.
Leave a comment below if you’re in!
Here’s to imperfect, despicable, juicy you…
Marisa