Have you ever wanted to do something perfectly? No mistakes. No mishaps. If you have, then you will relate to this blog post.

There are a few different kinds of perfectionism. One kind is doing something thoroughly and perfectly, where you can’t rest until it is done. The other kind is a perfectionist who procrastinates because it isn’t perfect yet. The latter is the kind of perfectionism I can relate to. Which one are you?

Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to do things perfectly. I’ll have these great ideas, get started on that great idea, to get part of the way through it and get overwhelmed, or it’s still not perfect. Instant results are what I really want…but that is not realistic. A good idea is only a good idea if it is never followed through.

Procrastinating is also something I have struggled with because I can’t do something perfectly. I’ll wait for that perfect time, or when I have planned it thoroughly in my calendar, or when I have all the items to do it.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Welcome aboard…you’re not alone.

So, since I have these tendencies, perfectionism is something I have to consistently work on. I thought I would offer you some solutions or tips on how I deal with this.

1. Progress or movement is better than perfection. “Just get started” is what I tell myself. This can be hard sometimes especially if one little part is missing or not right. But just tell yourself to start. You can always go back and adjust where needed, or add to, etc. Forward movement. Then when you do get going on it, then you will get momentum to keep going.

2. Practice forward movement everyday in even the little tasks. Work at it everyday.

3. Break bigger tasks into smaller tasks that are almost stupid simple to achieve. In other words, a guarantee that you will achieve it. For example, say you want to walk on the treadmill 30 minutes a day. To get going and build momentum, start with 10 minutes a day for 10 days. Then 20 minutes a day for 20 days. 30 minutes a day for 30 days. This book by Jeff Olson talks about doing those little bitty tasks to build momentum. I highly recommend it.

3. Strive for done. Finish something even if you have to go back and adjust. But finish. This helps you to know what finishing something feels like. Thus creating momentum.

4. Journal about your perfectionism. Write one paragraph each day about how you struggled that day or how you made progress. This will help you to see your journey.

While I do think a little bit of perfection is meaningful, over-perfectionism is not. It’s about finding that balance between going overboard and not enough. A perfectionist like me, will always struggle with this, but can keep it tamed for sure, with effort. It will get easier…I promise.

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