You won’t fail if it isn’t perfect
Perhaps you think that so much is riding on your client-attracting short book, it must be perfect. Besides, striving for perfection isn’t so bad … it just means aiming for excellence. Am I right?
But there is a dark side to the desire to get things right. Dr. Jane Bluestein, author of The Perfection Deception, told me in an interview that "the whole idea of needing to be (or appear) perfect is almost always linked to some kind of fear, whether we’re talking about a fear of failure, rejection, intimacy, or abandonment, or a perceived risk to our job or financial security or social status."
Fear of failure or negative feedback can prevent some entrepreneurs and executives from even starting their books. Others may struggle with perfectionism and feel that their writing is not good enough to be published. They fall into the trap of refusing to accept any standard short of perfection.
Of course, striving to do our best and look our best is generally a good thing, it becomes something much darker if we feel like a failure when we fall short of our ideal.
So how do you overcome the Perfectionism Mind Goblin? Here are some suggestions:
• Use mindset tools to overcome these mindset issues. There are plenty of books, apps, and online courses that can help you overcome a fear of failure or a penchant for perfectionism if they aren’t too deeply rooted or spring from past trauma.
• Sometimes the DIY path isn’t enough. You need a village to raise your book. That’s when joining a support group of fellow authors to support you in your journey, cheer you on, and help you celebrate your wins, can be really helpful. Caveat: Choose your group wisely. Not all are created equal.
• If going alone or journeying with a support group doesn’t cut the mustard, it is time to bring out the big guns and hire a coach or mentor to help you up your game both in mindset and with your manuscript. Professional support – whether from a life coach, a book coach, or even a therapist – can be just the thing you need to overcome your internal resistance.
Now that we’ve dealt with the Time and Perfectionism Mind Goblins, it’s time to bring out Orcrist (the Goblin Cleaver) and engage the most common Mind Goblin of all – Procrastination. We’ll enter that battle tomorrow!
Missed a post in the series? Go here for a link list: https://bit.ly/shortbookpostseries
Want my help with your short book? DM me for details on my Authority Building Short Book Jumpstart being held April 15. Only 25 slots are available and some are already spoken for.
But there is a dark side to the desire to get things right. Dr. Jane Bluestein, author of The Perfection Deception, told me in an interview that "the whole idea of needing to be (or appear) perfect is almost always linked to some kind of fear, whether we’re talking about a fear of failure, rejection, intimacy, or abandonment, or a perceived risk to our job or financial security or social status."
Fear of failure or negative feedback can prevent some entrepreneurs and executives from even starting their books. Others may struggle with perfectionism and feel that their writing is not good enough to be published. They fall into the trap of refusing to accept any standard short of perfection.
Of course, striving to do our best and look our best is generally a good thing, it becomes something much darker if we feel like a failure when we fall short of our ideal.
So how do you overcome the Perfectionism Mind Goblin? Here are some suggestions:
• Use mindset tools to overcome these mindset issues. There are plenty of books, apps, and online courses that can help you overcome a fear of failure or a penchant for perfectionism if they aren’t too deeply rooted or spring from past trauma.
• Sometimes the DIY path isn’t enough. You need a village to raise your book. That’s when joining a support group of fellow authors to support you in your journey, cheer you on, and help you celebrate your wins, can be really helpful. Caveat: Choose your group wisely. Not all are created equal.
• If going alone or journeying with a support group doesn’t cut the mustard, it is time to bring out the big guns and hire a coach or mentor to help you up your game both in mindset and with your manuscript. Professional support – whether from a life coach, a book coach, or even a therapist – can be just the thing you need to overcome your internal resistance.
Now that we’ve dealt with the Time and Perfectionism Mind Goblins, it’s time to bring out Orcrist (the Goblin Cleaver) and engage the most common Mind Goblin of all – Procrastination. We’ll enter that battle tomorrow!
Missed a post in the series? Go here for a link list: https://bit.ly/shortbookpostseries
Want my help with your short book? DM me for details on my Authority Building Short Book Jumpstart being held April 15. Only 25 slots are available and some are already spoken for.
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