There’s nothing wrong with wanting to do a good job or holding yourself to a high standard. But perfectionism can quietly create problems that make it harder to stay consistent, try new things, or make meaningful progress toward your goals.
In this short episode of the To Your Health podcast, I break down three ways perfectionism can get in your way—and what to do about them.
Problem #1: You spend too much time on things that don’t actually matter
Perfectionists tend to treat everything like it’s important. Every detail, every task, every message gets the same amount of energy—even when it really doesn’t need to.
This leads to:
overwhelm
burnout
and wasted time on things that aren’t moving the needle
Solution #1: Focus on your Big Rocks
Not everything needs your best effort. Figure out what actually matters for your goals—your “Big Rocks”—and give those the time and energy they deserve. Everything else? Let it be good enough.
This mindset gives you permission to stop trying to perfect everything and start being more strategic with your effort.
Problem #2: You avoid anything that feels hard or unfamiliar
Perfectionism doesn’t always look like overworking—it can also look like avoidance. If something feels too uncomfortable or unfamiliar, you might tell yourself you’re not interested in it… but really, you’re afraid of not being good at it.
This can keep you stuck doing only what you know you can succeed at—and missing out on the things that would help you grow.
Solution #2: Start practicing discomfort on purpose
Look for small ways to do things that feel awkward, hard, or unfamiliar—and do them anyway. The more you practice stepping into discomfort, the more resilient and capable you become.
It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Even trying something mildly uncomfortable helps build that muscle.
Problem #3: You’re so hard on yourself that it feels safer not to try at all
Perfectionists often tie their self-worth to performance. So when something doesn’t go perfectly—or might not—it feels like a threat to your identity.
Instead of risking failure, you freeze. You procrastinate. You stay stuck.
Solution #3: Practice self-compassion in small moments
If you expect perfection and beat yourself up for falling short, you’re going to avoid trying. Learning to give yourself grace when things don’t go perfectly is what keeps you in the game.
Start with small, everyday situations: a workout that didn’t go as planned, a skipped task, a tough day. Be kind to yourself, learn what you can, and move on.
If you’ve been wondering why it’s so hard to stay consistent or why you feel stuck despite trying really hard—perfectionism might be part of the problem.
This episode breaks it down and gives you simple ways to shift out of it.
Listen to the bite-sized episode here:
