Progress Over Perfection: The Key to Beating Procrastination
- SV
- Nov 29, 2024
- 3 min read
How Letting Go of Perfectionism Can Help You Move Forward and Achieve More
Imagine you have a brilliant idea that you plan to work on. Maybe a good story that you want to write or a new side project.
Have you ever found yourself staring at the blank page to start the outline of the story or the blueprint for the project? Do you tell yourself that you cant start until everything is perfect - the perfect words, the perfect plan, the perfect timing?
And so, you wait and wait. Hours pass by, days pass by, but you haven’t started anything yet. The idea that sprung in your head is sitting there waiting to get to life, but that does not happen because of the paralyzing effect of perfectionism. New ideas are like fresh food. Food is satisfying and nourishing when it is served hot. Keeping it for long makes it stale. Its the same with ideas. We must act on our ideas when it is fresh. Inaction makes it stale and it fills our minds with the stink of frustration and we end up discarding it
Has this happened to you ever?
What we really need is not perfection, we need progress.
Perfection is a trap and a sure shot cause for procrastination as we keep delaying till everything is in place and just right. There are many consequences of a perfectionist mindset
Feeling lethargic - The idea in our minds pushes us to do something about it, where as the perfectionist mindset does not allow to get started. This struggle drains mental strength and makes us feel lethargic
Getting overwhelmed - The more we sit on a task, the more mental space it occupies and the more of a monster it becomes till we lose the will to conquer it.
Giving up - What an injustice when a good idea cannot see the light. Perfectionists often tie their self-worth to the outcome of their work. If the work isn't flawless, they feel inadequate, and this sense of worthlessness reinforces procrastination, as they avoid anything that might expose their imperfections. They give up on the idea
On the other hand, shifting focus from perfectionism to progress opens up a whole new world of exploration and creates a positive cycle of forward momentum. Some of the benefits of starting now:
Builds Confidence - When we take small, consistent steps towards our goal, we build momentum. We are already on the path to make that idea into a reality and every task accomplished - no matter how small it is gives us the validation that we are on the right track which builds our confidence
Great Learnings - Every journey has an impact on us because they teach us something. Its through experiences and the mistakes that we grow. Getting started launches us into the journey of the unknown and rewards us by what we become
Reduces Stress - The stress caused by the monster sitting in our minds get reduced when we break the big task of the idea into manageable steps and act on them consistently
Builds long-term success - Consistent progress may seem slow, but it's the key to long-term success. Small, steady improvements accumulate over time and lead to substantial achievements. Rather than waiting for the perfect moment, focusing on progress ensures that you're constantly moving closer to your goals
