Perfectionism: refusal to accept any standard short of perfection (Google Dictionary).

Fun stuff, right?

Even as I start to write this article I’m already thinking, “If my journalism mentor read what I am typing right now would she hate it? Would her notorious red pen be bleeding all over this section? Changing words here and scratching out lines there?”

One of my biggest struggles on a daily basis is trying to tell myself everything I do doesn’t have to be perfect. Well, my sneakers do.  

One of the reasons this site took me so long to launch was due to my crippling perfectionism at times.

The past few years I have tried to realize it and push past the fear of something not being as good as I think it can be and just doing it.

Honestly, it’s weird I love tennis or maybe my perfectionism met its match in such an imperfect sport. (Pun intended). There is no possible way to be perfect in any sport. I could have an absolutely amazing day and play the best tennis of my life - but no matter what, it wasn’t going to be perfect.

However, ever since seeing a quote from one of my favorite authors, Brené Brown, I have begun to think of perfectionism a tad different.

Perfectionism runs parallel with fear.

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be our best. Perfectionism is not about healthy achievement and growth; it's a shield.” - Brené Brown

I love she chose to use the word ‘shield’. The visual use of shield reveals how perfectionism is actually an excuse to hide behind. It’s a safety net we employ to procrastinate launching a product or whatever it is I’m trying to make perfect.

It’s an excuse we use to allow ourselves to not be vulnerable and to protect ourselves from opportunities and risks.

Gary Vaynerchuk was quoted, “You’re so focused on getting sh*t right, instead of getting sh*t done that you never start.”

So many of us want something to be so great and so right that we never actually do anything.

We let the excuse of perfectionism become debilitating. We just wade out in the water in the same spot forever overloading on information and tweaking things to death trying to make it perfect. (I speak from personal experience). Then, we never actually go for it. We procrastinate taking a chance and doing it out of fear and rejection on something we’ve worked so hard on.

If you try to wait until something is perfect, you will never do it.

Perfectionism is paralyzing.

Paralyzing to an athlete. Paralyzing to an entrepreneur. Paralyzing to a human.

It’s interesting. The more I try to bring self awareness to my issue, the more I realize I am so much better when I just react. In sports, in business, and in life itself.

The more I overthink, the worse I am.

Perfectionism just adds anxiety and pressure to be an impossible thing, perfect.

We aren’t meant to be perfect. We are imperfect creatures.

Embrace uncertainty. Embrace imperfection. And roll with the punches.

Check out this amazing video below: