How to Let Go of Perfectionism and Start Progressing

ByDamian Redfield

Why Perfectionism is Bad

Perfectionism is what’s holding you back.

The only way to progress is failure over and over again. It prevents you from failing rapidly or even getting started. If you want to make real progress in life, you must learn how to let go of perfectionism.

Benefits of Failing

  • Promotes Personal Growth – Failure reveals weaknesses, which opens you up to the possibility of growing from it.
  • Builds Resilience – Overcoming failure strengthens your mental and emotional toughness, making you better prepared to handle the future.
  • Encourages Creativity – When one approach fails, you’re forced to think creatively and find new solutions.
  • Teaches Valuable Lessons – Failure provides real-world feedback that success doesn’t teach.
  • Reduces Fear of Taking Risks – Experiencing failure makes you less afraid of it, encouraging you to take bold actions.
  • Builds Humility – Failing keeps you grounded and humble, reinforcing the fact that you do not know everything.
  • Increases Adaptability – Failure teaches you how to adjust and adapt to changing circumstances.
  • Clarifies Priorities – Setbacks force you to reassess what truly matters and focus on meaningful goals.
  • Boosts Determination – The desire to overcome failure can drive you to succeed.

Those are the benefits of failing.

How to Stop Seeking Perfection

1. Embrace Progress Over Perfection
Shift your mindset to focus on progress. Every step forward brings you closer to your goals. Aim for improvement, not perfection because you can’t accumulate failures to learn from.

2. Set Realistic and Achievable Goals
Perfectionists set unattainable goals, leading to frustration. Break your goals into smaller, manageable ones. Celebrate completing each one instead of waiting for the perfect one.

3. Accept That Mistakes Are Part of Growth
Mistakes aren’t failures. They’re lessons. They are necessary stepping stones for learning and self-improvement. Every successful person has failed countless times more than a beginner has even tried.

4. Limit Overthinking and Start Taking Action
Perfectionism often leads to overanalyzing everything. Solve this by taking immediate action. Start before you feel ready and refine your work as you go.

5. Practice Self-Compassion
Be kind to yourself. Acknowledge your efforts, forgive your mistakes, and keep moving forward no matter what happens.

6. Set Boundaries for Your Work
Perfectionists tend to overwork projects. Set time limits and know when to stop. Done is better than perfect, especially when perfection causes delays.

7. Focus on What You Can Control
Stop obsessing over things beyond your control. Direct your energy toward actions and choices that move you forward rather than worrying about others’ opinions.

8. Celebrate Small Wins
Recognize and celebrate even the smallest achievements. This builds momentum and reinforces the habit of progress over perfection.

9. Learn to Prioritize
Not everything requires the same level of effort. Find what truly matters and focus your energy accordingly. Striving for excellence in everything can drain you of all your energy. Focus on what will make the biggest impact.

10. Surround Yourself with Progress-Oriented People
Spend time with people who value growth and progress. Their mindset will inspire you to take action and let go of perfectionism.

Accepting Perfectionism

You need to accept that perfectionism isn’t the best way to progress.

You need to constantly fail and adapt in this world. Make sure you let go of perfectionism because it isn’t serving you at all.

No more wondering “how to stop seeking perfection?”

If you want to make progress then you need to let go of perfectionism. Embrace failure and seek to break your limits every single time. Perfectionism should be a thing of the past for you now. You need to get past it.

If you need more guidance on how to make the most progress in life then I recommend this book: https://gumroad.com/a/65719571/vrvFg

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