The Hidden Cost of Perfectionism (and How to Make Decisions Anyway)

Perfectionism is easy to justify. It can feel like being responsible. Or like setting a high bar. For many of us, especially those building businesses in systems that haven’t always made room for us, perfectionism shows up as a way to protect ourselves. To avoid mistakes. To make sure we get it “right.”

But over time, perfectionism can become a quiet roadblock. Not because your standards are too high, but because the pressure to meet them keeps you from making decisions, taking action, or trying something new.

What Perfectionism Might Be Costing You

Perfectionism doesn’t always show up loudly. Sometimes it looks like procrastination. Sometimes it feels like needing “just one more edit” before you send something out. It’s subtle. But over time, it chips away at your ability to make progress in your business and your goals. Here are a few ways it might be showing up—and what it could be costing you.

• Momentum. Perfectionism thrives in indecision. It shows up as over-researching, rewriting, delaying. You might be trying to get it just right before launching that service, applying for funding, or sending that pitch. But if the goalpost keeps moving, you’re never really making progress.

  Try this reframe: What would “progress over perfection” look like for me this week?

  
  

• Opportunities. Waiting until something is perfect can mean missing the window. Sometimes you only get one shot at a grant cycle, partnership, or pilot program. Taking action, even with version 1.0, often puts you further ahead than waiting for the perfect conditions.

  Ask yourself: What opportunities am I holding back from because I’m waiting to feel more ready?

  
  

• Energy. Trying to get everything right all the time is draining. You start second-guessing small decisions. You spend hours tweaking things that might not even matter to your audience. And slowly, what started as care turns into burnout.

  Check-in: Am I editing for clarity—or chasing approval that might not come?

A Framework for Deciding When You Feel Stuck

You don’t need a complicated system to break out of a perfectionist loop. What you need is a way to make decisions with enough confidence to move forward. This isn’t about lowering your standards. It’s about giving yourself a way out of the endless overthinking. Here’s a simple, practical process that can help when you’re stuck.

1. Name what’s driving the hesitation.

   Is it fear of being judged? Of missing out on a better option? Just being unsure? Naming it can help you get some distance and clarity.

   
   

2. Define what “good enough” looks like.

   Not every decision needs to be permanent or perfect. Ask: does this align with my values? Will it move the work forward? Can I revise later if I need to?
   

3. Set a time limit.

   Give yourself a deadline to decide and act. Even something simple like, “I’ll choose by Friday,” can break the cycle of endless tweaking.
   

4. Reflect briefly, then move on.

   After you act, take a few minutes to ask: what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d do differently next time. Then leave it alone. Over-analysis is just perfectionism in disguise.

Most of the people building things we admire are figuring it out as they go. They’re launching before they feel ready. They’re learning in real time. They’re updating, editing, adjusting. And honestly, that’s what building a business looks like behind the scenes.

Progress happens when we’re willing to make a call, take a step, and trust that we can adapt as we learn more.

Perfection might feel safer, but action is what moves things forward. Let it be messy, let it be uncertain, but let it be in motion.