You draft an email, only to delete all of it. You jot down ideas for a presentation, only to cut them out and throw away the piece of paper. You spend several hours working on a task that takes your colleagues 45 minutes.
You tell yourself it’s the only way to achieve success. Your mind reminds you that you have to either give it your all or throw in the towel.
After all, hard work pays off.
Or does it?
Being a perfectionist has its benefits but it also comes with long-term consequences. It can stop you from achieving your dreams. It can hamper both personal and professional growth.
Here’s how:
Perfectionists Can’t Work in Teams
A common problem perfectionists struggle with is working in teams. They have to be in control. This means that they’ll clash with anyone who doesn’t have the same beliefs, morals, and way of thinking.
This means that they have difficulty working with a dynamic and diverse team. This can slow down productivity and even hamper growth.
The solution to this problem isn’t easy. But one thing you can do is to try and understand why you struggle with working in a team.
Is it because you’re worried others will overshadow you? Are you worried that others will take credit for your ideas? Identify the root of the problem and address it.
When you confront your worst fears, you realize that’s all they are—fears.
Perfectionists Aren’t Good With Criticism
Perfectionists firmly believe that they’re the only ones who can “do things right.” So, when negative feedback comes along, for them, it feels like an “attack.”
In reality, negative feedback is just as important as positive feedback. If someone provides you with negative feedback, take it as an opportunity to learn something new.
Remember that this doesn’t mean your ideas aren’t great. It doesn’t mean your hard work will go to waste. It just means that your ideas can be used at a later time. It means that the person is trying to help you improve your ideas.
In other words, negative criticism helps us grow as long as it’s constructive. If you’re getting negative feedback with details of how you can improve, take it as a chance to learn.
Remember that without failure, success would not exist. It’s because we’ve failed numerous times that we are successful today.
Perfectionists Lack Balance
Another problem with perfectionists is that they get so caught up in making sure everything they do is perfect that they end up losing balance in their personal and professional life.
For example: they will spend days working on a project. They will make sure every detail is perfect and taken care of. But they will get so distracted by the project that they will end up neglecting their loved ones.
They will forget about going home or catching up with friends. These long hours, skipping meals, combined with stress can lead to burnouts. It can also make you ill.
Remember that not taking care of your health can hamper growth. You’ll start experiencing various problems like forgetfulness and inability to concentrate.
Set realistic deadlines and take your time working on high-stress projects. Remember that spending time with loved ones isn’t just good for your health, it also boosts creativity.
When your mind is relaxed, it’ll be able to concentrate. When it’s functioning properly, you’ll be able to brainstorm great ideas.
Perfectionists Lose Their Creativity
Successful entrepreneurs aren’t just innovative they’re problem-solvers. This means being able to come up with solutions creatively. You need to think ahead of your time. But this doesn’t mean becoming enamored with one problem.
Sometimes we’ll find the solutions we’re looking for. Other times, we need to move on—not every problem has a solution.
Perfectionists focus on solving one problem. Because of this, they lose sight of what’s really important—being able to adapt and work on diverse projects. Because perfectionists are so scared of things not going perfectly, they lose their ability to think outside the box.
Don’t forget that it’s better to get the job “done” than to make sure it’s done “perfectly.”
What I mean by “done” is that let’s say you’ve finally launched your company. It means people are aware of your services. You can slowly work on building your company name. By conducting thorough research and taking consumer feedback into consideration, you can slowly improve your products.
Don’t rush through things. The saying “Haste makes waste” certainly applies here. Creating the right strategy will help you bring in customers. But great things take time and patience.
If you overwork yourself, you’ll burnout. This will set you back instead of helping you grow professionally.
Perfectionists Delay Success
This may come as a shock but it’s true. When you’re aiming for perfection, you lose sight of things that are important. As mentioned above, sometimes you need to let go of the urge to make things perfect and instead make sure they’re “done.”
By focusing all your energy on making sure everything is perfect, you’ll end up delaying progress; you’ll also forget that not everything is in our control.
For example: let’s say you’re organizing a product launch party but half of the guests do not show up. Instead of constantly calling them, it’s best to move on with the party.
If you have media coverage at your event, your product will get all the exposure it needs. At the same time, your video and social media marketing strategies will also help position your product for a great launch. The point is you can get the job “done” even if half the guests don’t make it.
Conclusion
Conquering the perfectionist within you won’t be easy but with the right marketing strategies, you don’t have to worry about building a name for your new digital agency.
All you need is a marketing strategist and consultant to help you devise a plan that not only works for you but your team as well.
If you’re looking for a way to create an impeccable digital marketing strategy, Makarand Utpat offers everything you’re looking for!
With years of experience in the industry, Utpat is dedicated to his clients, helping create clever and effective marketing strategies. He is also an established author of several digital marketing books and has been featured on TV channels like NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX.
Feel free to reach out to him and book an appointment today!
