How to overcome perfectionism & fear of failure to start building your own successful business online
Introduction
Are you tired of your perfectionism holding you back from starting your own business? Do you find yourself constantly striving for an unattainable 'perfect business idea', which only leaves you feeling stuck and overwhelmed? If so, you're not alone. Many aspiring entrepreneurs fear failure and fall victim to perfectionism, which can hinder their progress towards building a successful business.
In fact, being proud of perfectionism could be ruining your life. So if you want to break free from the shackles of perfectionism and take action towards your entrepreneurial dreams, we’ll explore how fear-based perfectionism can block you from starting a business and how, even if you do figure out how to start a business, it can result in slow progress and self-sabotage.
We'll share practical tips on how to overcome perfectionism and progress faster, by taking imperfect action, focusing on money-producing activities, and practicing self-compassion. We’ll also share a free online business video workshop series on the best online business models for beginners and how to reduce your chances of failure with a proven blueprint for building your own online business from scratch.
Are you ready to overcome perfectionism and start your dream business with confidence and success? Let's get started!
What Is Perfectionism & How Does It Show Up?
Perfectionism can be a double-edged sword. On the surface, it may seem like a virtue, something to be proud of. After all, striving for excellence and attention to detail can yield great results in many areas of life. However, when it comes to starting a business, perfectionism can become a heavy burden that holds you back from taking action and blocks you from starting your own business.
Rooted in internal insecurities and fear of failure, judgment, and not being good enough, perfectionism can create a paralyzing effect. It can manifest as procrastination, over-analysis, and a fear of being exposed for not having everything figured out, leading to a reluctance to put yourself and your ideas out into the world.
If you’ve already experienced the downside of perfectionism, you’ll know how immensely frustrating it can be. Recognising how perfectionism shows up in your life and in your entrepreneurial journey is crucial to overcoming it and making progress towards your business goals and your life goals.
What’s The Perfect Business Model?
Here's the hard truth: there's no such thing as a perfect business idea or business model, just like there’s no perfect person. Waiting for the perfect idea or plan before taking action is a surefire way to never start at all. Progressing slowly due to perfectionism only reinforces your fear of failure and actually contributes to self-sabotage.
So, how can you break free from the clutches of perfectionism and start making strides towards your entrepreneurial dreams? Here are some tips to help you progress faster and overcome perfectionism.
5 Tips To Overcome Perfectionism & Build Your Dream Business
Tip # 1 Take imperfect action:
Embrace the concept of "B-": In a recent interview with Brooke Castillo and Amy Porterfield, they emphasized the importance of taking imperfect action. Instead of striving for an unattainable A+ in everything you do, aim for a B-. Don't wait until everything is perfect before launching your business.
Put your work out there, learn from it, improve it as you go, and allow yourself to be a beginner. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere and progress is more important than perfection. In fact, imperfect work has a much better chance of helping your customer once it’s out there than the work you never finished because it was never perfect. Finding the courage to be imperfect will pay off.
Tip # 2 Follow the 80:20 rule:
As a perfectionist, you may feel a deep need to know all the answers before taking action. But the truth is, you don't need to have everything figured out to start your business. Spend 20% of your time learning and 80% of your time taking solid action.
This approach helps you focus on money-producing activities and gain valuable experience. It also builds on Tip #1 because clarity comes from taking action, so the more you can do imperfectly, the more clarity you will get about how to build a bigger picture that works for you.
Many aspiring entrepreneurs get sucked into the trap of learning, learning, learning, without implementing what they have learned. This leads to overwhelm and actually makes it harder to start taking action when the time comes. Do some work every day and don't get caught up in perfectionistic details that don't directly contribute to moving your business forward.
Tip # 3 Learn the skill of delegation and outsourcing:
Most perfectionists feel the urge to do everything themselves, but this can lead to overwhelm and burnout. Learning to delegate and outsource tasks that are not in your zone of genius is an invaluable skill and it’s worth learning. It allows you to focus on your core competencies and propel your business growth.
Building a team or partnering with individuals who complement your strengths can greatly contribute to the success of your business. If you’d prefer not to hire anyone, perhaps consider working with freelancers as a flexible and efficient option for outsourcing.
Tip # 4 Embrace failure as a learning opportunity:
This can be a hard one for perfectionists, but shifting your mindset around failure will change your life. Instead of fearing it, see it as a valuable learning opportunity. Failure is a fundamental part of every entrepreneurial journey, and it's how you learn, grow, and improve.
Not everything is a failure, so identify what you consider to be the ultimate failure. This might be never getting to become an entrepreneur in the first place, or having to return to a full time job. Once you know what you regard as the ultimate failure, you can embrace every other kind of ‘failure’ as feedback you can use to make your business and your life better.
Tip # 5 Practice self-compassion:
Perfectionists tend to be hard on themselves, setting impossibly high standards and beating themselves up or feeling embarrassed when they fall short. Practice self-compassion by treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a friend or loved one.
Entrepreneurship is a journey and there’s no rule that you need to know what you’re doing. Be gentle with yourself, celebrate your progress no matter how small it may seem, forgive yourself for mistakes along the way, and when you do stumble, remember why you want to be an entrepreneur and keep getting back up to try again.
Ready to break free from the grips of perfectionism and start building your dream business?
Remember, progress is more important than perfection. Embrace imperfect action, focus on money-producing activities, delegate and outsource, embrace failure as a learning opportunity, and practice self-compassion. By implementing these strategies, you can overcome perfectionism and take meaningful steps towards building your own online business.
To support you on your journey, we’ve included a free online business video workshop series to teach you the best online business models for beginners and introduce you to a proven blueprint to clear the path and guide you through each important step of building your very own online business from scratch.
Don't let perfectionism hold you back any longer. Take action today and turn your entrepreneurial dreams into a reality! Remember, you have the power to overcome perfectionism and start your business with confidence and success. Sign up for the free online business workshops today and take the first step towards building your dream business!
"Success is not final. Failure is not fatal.
Having the courage to continue is what matters"- Winston Churchill
Ready to break free from perfectionism & start building your dream business?
This free 4-part video workshop series will help you overcome perfectionism and procrastination and take the first step towards building the business you've always dreamed of!
