Perfection is the Enemy of Progress 🎯

It is officially wedding season!

Being a woman of small stature, one of the items on my to-do list is to get fitted for my bridesmaid dress.

Fortunately, I have talented friends in many fields, including fashion and garment design. When I sent out a call-to-action, my friend "Sandra" happily answered.

"Sandra" is a powerhouse of a woman— she is a diligent mother, accomplished seamstress, dynamic costumer, problem-solver, stage performer, and crafter.

"Sandra" has many interests and shows significant prowess and mastery. And like many older adults I come across, "Sandra" suspects that she might have undiagnosed ADHD.

On the day of my fitting, I stood patiently while she took my measurements and pinned the excess fabric.

We made small talk, catching up on her life and new interests.

"I've been making an effort to do 30 minutes of Yoga every day," she informed me as she clenched a sewing pin between her lips. "But I'm having difficulty sticking with it on certain days. When I don't do it, I feel guilty."

For those with ADHD, guilt is a shared experience.

We often struggle with perfectionism, which turns to guilt when we cannot perform at our best consistently.

Guilt can lead to task avoidance.

Some of us grew up hearing, 'If you can't do it right, then don't do it at all.'

While high standards deliver incredible results, perfectionism is not sustainable.

Perfectionism and guilt are the enemies of progress.

The "if you can't do it right, then don't do it at all" narrative is one that I've had to challenge and unlearn.

It hasn't been easy.

Rather than chasing perfection, I focus on the benefits of building habits and consistency.

I encouraged "Sandra" to shift her approach to see the benefit of the habit she was trying to build.

Maybe her goal (30 minutes of Yoga every day) was too rigid.

What was the ultimate goal she was trying to achieve through building this habit?

More flexibility?

Long-term health?

Community?

By shifting her mindset towards a benefit-centered approach, her options expanded, and her guilt was relieved.

This mindset shift is empowering.

Next time you are experiencing task avoidance, ask yourself, 'What is the benefit of the habit I am trying to build?'

Give yourself a little grace.

In *Sandra's* case, she wanted to improve her flexibility. Maybe 30 minutes of Yoga a day is too rigid, too limiting.

But daily stretches are not.

Small, consistent steps lead to significant changes.
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I help individuals and small business owners with ADHD create personalized systems that make sense. I clear the overwhelm and guide you towards long-lasting, sustainable results.

Ready to take charge and build your system?