Episode Transcript
[00:00:07] You gotta be bold. This story gotta be told own your fierceness gon and glow this the Sonja Empowers Show.
[00:00:13] Stay on go like a lion who on the prowl. Sonja Sells help you get it. We doing it and doing it now.
[00:00:30] Hey empowered disruptors. Welcome back to the Sonja Empowers Show where I ignite your online business and help you own your fierceness, Embrace your unique beauty, talents and strengths, rise above fear and step into your destiny as you build empires and shatter expectations together.
[00:00:51] In this week episode we are going to talk about perfectionism - from stagnant to spectacular, we all struggle with it. The pursuit of perfectionism, including yours truly. It can be a silent roadblock holding us back from achieving our full potential.
[00:01:11] Today we'll smash that roadblock and shift into a progress mindset.
[00:01:17] So why perfection holds you back?
[00:01:21] Perfectionism. While it seems to be a noble pursuit, it can be a significant hindrance to progress.
[00:01:29] It's a double edged sword that can stifle creativity and delay action.
[00:01:36] And here's why.
[00:01:38] Number one, fear of failure. Can anyone relate just by me saying fear of failure? Perfectionists often fear making mistakes leading to reluctance to take risk. This fear can paralyze you, preventing you from trying new things and learning from your experience.
[00:01:57] Now I must say, if you are going to be about your business saying that you are entrepreneur, then there are a certain amount of risk that comes along with being an entrepreneur. Like entrepreneurs are usually risk takers. Okay.
[00:02:13] And I want to give you a perfect real time example.
[00:02:19] I have been struggling for the past hour or so to just record this episode, this podcast episode.
[00:02:29] The technology gremlins have come out and for whatever reason I started having difficulties. I can record it perfectly. But when I'm doing the test run, guess what? No matter how high the volume is, I just could not figure out why it sounded like I was whispering.
[00:02:51] So I told myself, either I can allow that to defeat me because that perfectionist part of me wanted to come out, or I can say, you know what, I do have my cell phone and I'll just record the episode from my cell phone. Right? So that is a perfect example of how I could have allowed that perfectionism to get in the way. Thinking like, oh my gosh, I'm already failing at my podcast. But instead I shifted my mindset to a progress mindset and said, you know what? I would use what I have available.
[00:03:30] Let's also move on to one of the second reasons why perfection holds us back. It's the procrastination trap. The constant pursuit of perfection can lead to endless revisions and delays. You may spend hours tweaking just a little piece of content, only to end up with less than perfect results. So it will place you in a procrastination mindset. Oh, I'll get around to it tomorrow.
[00:04:03] I'll start on that Monday. And then before you know it, you will never get started or you will set some type of deadline. And then what happens is, okay now because you procrastinated, like literally you have less than 24 hours, so then you have less than ideal results, right? That then set you up for what? Disappointment?
[00:04:26] Reduced creativity. So when you're focused on achieving perfection, you may become too rigid in your thinking.
[00:04:35] Where all of my analytical thinkers, I know I'm not the only one. Okay, so analytical individuals tend to be problem solvers by nature. We tend to be forward thinking individuals. And so even if a problem is like simple to solve, sometimes we can turn that problem into a complex one. Okay.
[00:05:00] And so whenever you are too focused on perfectionism, it literally reduces your creativity. Your thinking becomes so rigid and what happens is it stifles your creativity and innovation which then in return limit your ability to come up with fresh ideas.
[00:05:22] Also lowered self esteem. You don't think about this with perfectionism, but if you're constantly striving for perfection and falling short and you're in that cycle, you may experience feelings of inadequacy and self doubt. This can negatively impact your mental health and overall well being. And then before you know it, once those self doubt seeds are planted, before you know it, you begin to add fuel to the fire, so to speak. And before you know it, you're like, you know what, it was never meant for me to even start this business or podcast or whatever.
[00:06:01] So by recognizing these negative effects, you can begin to break free from the grip of perfectionism and embrace a more productive and fulfilling approach to your work.
[00:06:14] The power of good enough. So we're going to talk about the power of good enough. The pursuit of perfection is an endless cycle. It's like a mirage that constantly recedes, like leaving you chasing an unattainable goal, in reality, perfection is a myth.
[00:06:34] Every successful entrepreneur, artist or innovator has faced setbacks and imperfections.
[00:06:41] Now if you are following some type of mega influencer and they're like, no, I've never had a setback. Let me tell you something, Just leave your credit card, your debit card in your wallet and you need to go in the opposite direction of that influencer because they are lying to you.
[00:07:03] Every successful entrepreneur is going to have obstacles, imperfections, and setbacks. It's a given. It's almost like a rite of passage. Okay.
[00:07:14] When I was an executive assistant, I had a full clientele, and I literally had clients who had multimillion dollar companies.
[00:07:27] They were generating consistent multimillion dollars in their, in their business.
[00:07:34] And I began to really pay attention, and I began to really listen, observe, and time and time again, it was a common theme. And that was there was no such thing as overnight success. They had their highs, they had their lows. I mean, they had their, I mean, literally their wins. And then some of them lost it all, had to rebuild. And so they had setbacks.
[00:08:00] And as I was thinking about today's podcast, it reminded me of something that I will always say during my kickoff call with a new client.
[00:08:12] And that was right now, at the beginning of our partnership is going to look and feel like a pot of spaghetti, but by day 30, it's going to be smoother, and by day 90, everything will be streamlined.
[00:08:28] And so it reminded me that being an entrepreneur is messy.
[00:08:37] It's not smooth and peachy and streamlined in the beginning.
[00:08:41] And so you have to be vulnerable enough to just know that making mistakes, having setbacks and imperfections, it comes along with the territory.
[00:08:54] But one thing that sets successful entrepreneurs apart is their ability to learn from their mistakes, adapt to the changing circumstances, and keep moving forward.
[00:09:08] Because let me tell you, as an entrepreneur, life be life. And I tell you so, embrace the concept of good enough.
[00:09:19] Embracing that is a powerful strategy for achieving your goals. It allows you to take action. So instead of waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect plan, you can start taking action now. Even imperfect action is better than no action at all. Like, do you know how many people just never take action concerning their goals in life, whether it's business or whether it's personal?
[00:09:49] So I rather you be someone who takes imperfect action and perfect yourself along the way than never ever starting to begin with.
[00:10:01] It allows you to learn from mistakes. So by acknowledging that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, you can use them as opportunities to grow and improve. And oftentimes when I'm coaching clients, I will say, hey, learn how to turn those obstacles into opportunities. Learn how to turn those adversities into advantages.
[00:10:26] Increase productivity. So when you stop striving for perfection, you can focus on completing tasks efficiently and effectively. This can help you be more productive and achieve more in less time.
[00:10:41] Reduce stress. Now, how many of y'all love the idea of having less stress in your life? I know I do.
[00:10:50] So the constant pressure of trying to be perfect can lead to stress, anxiety and the forbidden B called burnout.
[00:11:04] By letting go of perfectionism, you can reduce stress and improve your overall well being.
[00:11:11] Boost creativity. When you're not worried about making mistakes, you can let your creativity flow.
[00:11:20] This can lead to innovative ideas and solutions. And one thing you don't want to be is you don't want to be locked up in your mind, right? It will totally clutter and stunt your creativity. It will.
[00:11:35] So by embracing the the power of good enough, you can free yourself from shackles of perfectionism and achieve your full potential.
[00:11:46] Now let's talk about three shifts to break free. I first want to ask you like, are you ready to break free from the chains of perfectionism and embrace a more fulfilling and productive life? Now? I hope your answer is yes.
[00:12:02] If it is, here are three powerful shifts that can help you transform your mindset.
[00:12:08] 1. Reframe mistakes as lessons See, it's all about perception.
[00:12:15] So instead of viewing mistakes as failures, reframe them as valuable learning opportunities.
[00:12:21] Every setback is a chance to grow and improve.
[00:12:26] By analyzing what went wrong, you can identify areas of improvement. Adjust your strategy accordingly. Remember, it's not about avoiding mistakes because mistakes is going to happen. Life is going to happen. It's about learning from them and growing from them.
[00:12:46] 2. Set SMART goals. Now most people in business have heard about smart goals, but it is one of those classic strategies that truly works.
[00:13:02] So setting clear and achievable goals is essential for progress. By using the SMART framework, you can ensure that your goals are specific, clearly defined and focused. Measurable, quantifiable and trackable.
[00:13:18] Achievable, realistic and attainable.
[00:13:23] Relevant. Align with your overall objectives.
[00:13:28] Time bound with specific deadlines to keep you motivated.
[00:13:33] So remember to break down larger goals into smaller, more manageable steps. This will help you stay motivated and celebrate your accomplishments along the way.
[00:13:45] So for example, if you're like, I want to create a four week online course, so that is like the big goal, right? But you know that one module may have three to five lessons in it, right?
[00:13:59] So what you want to do is you want to break that large goal down into smaller ones. Okay, What I'm going to do is first I'm going to create an outline for my four week course. All right, that's a win. And then you start setting goals accordingly. Okay, today I'm going to work on, you know, module one, lesson one, and that's it until you get all the way to recording it and then doing the technical stuff that comes along with it. Unless you want to outsource that.
[00:14:34] And once you break those, that large goal down into those smaller, more manageable, manageable goals, you're like, oh my gosh, I did it. And it didn't take long.
[00:14:44] 3. Embrace vulnerability.
[00:14:48] Being vulnerable means being open and honest about your challenges, fears, and insecurities. Sharing your experiences can help you connect with others on a deeper level and inspire them to be more authentic. By embracing vulnerability, you can build stronger relationships, increase your credibility, and foster a more successful, supportive community.
[00:15:12] Now, it's nothing wrong, like, to me, this is me, like, I'm very transparent, right? So that, that's like a whole another level of vulnerability.
[00:15:25] And some people, they want to come off to being so perfect, they don't want you to see their mistakes or, you know, they feel like they have to, you know, come, come on social, social media, like, always made up, you know, or dressed to the T, you know, and oh, they dare not see you, you know, come on. If they have like a, a face breakout, like a pimple breakout or something, it's like, oh, no, I must use filter. You know, and sometimes, you know, being vulnerable and being open and allowing people to see some of your flaws. Yes, we are entrepreneurs, we want to be professional. But it's something about having a certain level of vulnerability to where you become relatable to your audience, right? As you begin to open up and you connect to other individuals, like, like minded individuals, and you start seeing, like, hearing their stories, you're like, oh my gosh, like, I didn't even know you went through the same thing. Or I didn't know that you had that fear at one point or that insecurity it causes, like, you to connect with them in a deeper way. And then you're like, oh, my mom was trying to tell me I was the only one, but I'm not. And so embrace the vulnerability. Find your balance in it all.
[00:16:52] So with that said, it is time for your fab assignment.
[00:17:00] Yes, FAB stands for Fierce Action Breakthrough. Whenever I have private clients that I'm coaching and I assign them, quote, unquote, homework. I never call it homework in my company. This is something that I personally coined. I didn't take it from anyone else.
[00:17:20] We call it fab assignment. And my clients love it. And that is fierce action breakthrough. And I promise you, they take bold action and they experience breakthrough. And it's amazing when I get to help them celebrate their victories.
[00:17:38] So right now, I want you to think of one action you've been putting off because of perfectionism.
[00:17:46] It could be launching your website, sending that first email blast, creating that first YouTube video, creating an outline for your online course, or anything you could think of that has been holding you back.
[00:18:03] Now take one imperfect step towards it.
[00:18:08] Remember, progress over perfection. It'll never go out of style. Your dedication to growth is what propels you forward as an empowered disruptor.
[00:18:23] Let's get out there and make some imperfect progress together. I'm on this journey with you as well. If this episode resonated with you, don't forget to like, share and subscribe. I know it's someone out there that needs empowering as well. So spread the empowerment. Head over to sonjasells.com for even more business empowerment resources. Until next time, Empower Disruptors. Own your fierceness.
