Note: This is the second email in a series I’m doing this week on the mental and emotional battles of being an entrepreneur
Almost every entrepreneur I know struggles with perfectionism.
For example…
I used to put a lot of unecessary pressure on myself to be perfect.
If I was writing a sales page, I expected it to be a big winner every time.
If I was writing an email, I wanted people to be really impressed by it.
If I told my assistant to do something, I expected her to get it right 100% of the time.
This is what perfectionism looks like.
It’s when you have unrealistic expectations of yourself and everyone around you.
And it’s very common among entrepreneurs.
But here’s the thing…
Being a perfectionist is a painful experience.
Why?
Because nobody is perfect.
So you’re constantly beating yourself up.
And holding yourself to an unrealistic standard.
Like literally you have standards that can’t be achieved by anyone on earth.
So no matter how well you do…
It’s never good enough.
I experienced this for years as a copywriter.
I used to beat myself up if one of my sales pages wasn’t a bonafide grandslam.
Seriously.
I thought everything I wrote had to be this amazing, knock-your-socks off kind of copy.
But that’s not realistic.
What’s more realistic is that some of the copy I write will be homeruns…
Some of it will be above average.
And some of it will totally bomb.
That’s kind of how it works.
So if I’m always expecting things to be the best…
Then I’m gonna be disappointed.
Cause it’s impossible to be perfect.
Now this doesn’t mean you can’t be ambitious…
And that you can’t hold yourself to a high standard.
You absolutely can do that.
But it helps if you’re a little more understanding that you’re gonna make mistakes…
You’re not gonna bat 1000.
You ARE human.
And humans make mistakes.
So if you can be a little more realistic…
And be a little gentler on yourself…
You’ll start to break your perfectionist tendencies.
I can tell you from experience that business is a lot more fun when this happens.
You won’t be so upset…
And you won’t put so much pressure on yourself.
And that’s a good spot to be in.
So try to be a little gentler on yourself from now on.
Enjoy your Tuesday.
– Justin
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