5 Steps To Overcome Perfectionism As A Creator
Perfectionism is public enemy #1 for creators… I used to hate posting because I wanted my content to be perfect. Now I realise why. It came from a fear of being seen as inferior. For months, I wouldn't dare post on YouTube, for fear of being ridiculed or rejected- what if people I know found the videos? I didn't want to be judged or receive criticism since it would feel bad. The root of perfectionism is insecurity- secure people don't care about being perfect. They're just happy being who they are, and doing what they can. It's enough to just put in 100% effort, without needing to "win" or be seen as perfect by others. Perfectionism blocks your creative juices and paralyses you into a perpetual state of "almost finished." It'll cause inaction and writer's block made of titanium that you just can't seem to make a dent in. Nonexistent content can't perform well- if you don't produce content, you won't get anywhere. "Perfection is the lowest standard you can set for yourself." - Tony Robbins Perfectionism comes from these three things: --- 1. Comparisonitis I used to compare myself to everyone else further ahead of me. It was soul-crushing. Why was I so unhappy? Because of envy. Envy is the root of all suffering. Nothing is perfect when compared to something else- the only real kind of perfection exists in just being, without needing to compare yourself. Everything is unique, and perfect in its own imperfect way. Comparing yourself to others creates misery, and disempowers you. It isn't fair to compare yourself to others- they're in a different position, body and stage of life to you. "Don't compare yourself with other people; compare yourself with who you were yesterday." - Jordan Peterson That's not all: --- 2. Fear of Judgement/Failure Perfectionism is rooted in fear. Fear isn't a sign you're in the wrong place, it's actually a sign you're on the right path to growth. Fear was designed to keep us alive, but now it's there to keep us stuck in mediocrity.