How to Overcome Perfectionism

Podcast Transcript

Damisi: Hi, I’m Damisi, a career coach for Merit America, a national nonprofit organization providing a pathway for workers out of low-wage jobs and into well-paying careers with upward mobility. In today’s mini episode of Promoted, we’re talking about something that most of us have probably dealt with: perfectionism. Perfectionism can be a self-imposed barrier, especially when making a career transition.

So here’s why it matters. Lately, perfectionism has been getting a lot of attention, not as a harmless personality quirk, but as a real barrier to career success.

A recent New Yorker article warned that perfectionism is increasingly linked to serious mental and physical health issues like anxiety, depression, and even hypertension. And a Time report found that burnout now affects more than three-quarters of U.S. workers, with perfectionists being among the most vulnerable.

That’s why in today’s mini episode of Promoted, we’re digging into how perfectionism shows up when you’re making a career transition and why it can be the thing holding you back from your very next opportunity. We’ll talk about how to spot perfectionist habits, the ways that they can quietly sabotage your progress, and practical strategies to overcome them so you can move forward with confidence. Because here’s the truth: In a career transition, perfection is often the enemy of getting hired.

So what is perfectionism? You might think perfectionism just means wanting to do a great job, but in reality, it’s often about setting unrealistic, unattainable standards for yourself and feeling like nothing you do is ever good enough.

Psychologists sometimes call this perfectionistic paralysis, when the fear of not meeting those standards keeps you from taking any action at all. Perfectionism can show up in different ways, such as overediting and overworking, so that you spend hours reworking a project only to still feel dissatisfied at the end. There’s decision paralysis.

So you struggle to make choices because you’re worried that they won’t ever be right enough. And then there’s avoidance. So you skip opportunities altogether because you’re convinced that you’re not ready or you’re not qualified. During a career transition, that avoidance can be especially damaging. Maybe you’ve reworked your resume a dozen times, but you never actually hit that submit button on the job application. Or you tell yourself you just need one more certificate before you can even start applying.

The result? Momentum stalls. And instead of moving toward your next career step, you end up stuck in the planning phase, mistaking endless preparation for progress.

For example, lately I’ve had the pleasure of working with UX design learners in our program. And these folks are so creative and have such amazing concepts and ideas for different apps and websites that will eventually change the world.

But they’re using this tool called Figma to help bring their ideas to life. And because they want things to be so perfect, many of them spend hours upon hours trying to incorporate an element as simple as a drop-down menu or a button, or trying to think of the perfect color scheme for their app. And before you know it, they’re weeks behind in their coursework, and they’re missing out on some foundational elements of UX design because they’re getting too caught up in the weeds and the details of making something perfect. 

That means their portfolios are not getting done in a timely manner. And if you know anything about UX design, you know how important portfolios are to the job process. So they’re not able to have something concrete to show employers that they’re able to do this work. And that leads to a lot of them having a slow career transition.

So how can you overcome perfectionism? If perfectionism is stalling your career transition, the key is to replace unrealistic standards with clear, achievable actions and to create guardrails so you don’t get stuck in overthinking mode. Here’s how to tackle each perfectionist trap.

First, set attainable goals for yourself. Consider using the SMART goals framework to help you create goals that you can actually achieve. So, for example, instead of aiming to overhaul your entire resume, start with one section today. So maybe updating your work experience. Also, you wanna set timeframes for yourself so you don’t spend hours and hours on a simple task in your job search.

For example, you can give yourself two rounds of resume edits and then send it out, or you can set a timer for 90 minutes to finish a job application and commit to hitting that submit button when it goes off.

Also, you want to build self-compassion into your plan. So treat yourself the way you would treat a friend who’s making a big career leap with patience, encouragement, and reminders that mistakes are all part of the growth process.

Recognize when your perfectionist tendencies are impacting your work. If you’re frustrated with yourself about a project, pause, take a deep breath, and think about whether your frustration is stemming from perfectionism. 

So those are things to keep in mind when overcoming perfectionism. Let’s recap.

First, you want to set attainable goals, use the SMART framework, and break big tasks into smaller steps. Next, you want to work within timeframes. Limit yourself to two rounds of edits or set a timer so you don’t get stuck endlessly reworking. Three, practice self-compassion, encourage yourself the way you would a friend, and remind yourself that mistakes are all part of learning. Four, check in with yourself if you’re feeling frustrated. Ask if perfectionism is the real cause and adjust accordingly. And remember progress over perfection always. Every application you send, every networking email you write, every interview you take is a step forward, whether it’s flawless or not. And that’s something to celebrate.

At Merit America, we know perfectionism can make career planning feel overwhelming, like you need every detail figured out before you can even take that first step. And that’s why our program includes personalized coaching from career coaches like me. We’re here to help you focus on progress, not perfection, as you navigate your next career move. A career coach can offer you personalized guidance.

So we provide tailored advice and strategies to help you build a realistic, motivating plan that works. We help you with confidence. We help you highlight your strengths so you can share your value clearly, even when that self-doubt creeps in, as it tends to do. We can help with goal setting. Together, we’ll help you define clear and attainable goals that reflect your life, not just your job. And then we’ll help with accountability, which we all know is important. So we’ll help you follow through on your plan, keeping you moving forward even when perfectionist habits try to slow you down because your career success isn’t just about doing everything perfectly. Actually, it’s not about that at all. It’s about taking steady, intentional steps toward the future you want.

Thank you for tuning in. I hope these strategies give you practical ways to keep moving forward in your career. And if you’re interested in taking your next step, Merit America can help. Visit our website at www.meritamerica.org to learn more.