Perfectionism I’m increasingly convinced, is not at all about maintaining high standards. Writers like Brené Brown have been helpful for me in naming this dynamic: perfectionism as a defence against vulnerability rather than a pursuit of excellence. Similarly, Donald Winnicott’s idea of the “good enough” offers a quiet corrective. Not a lowering of standards, but a recalibration—an insistence that aliveness matters more than polish.
What I’m experimenting with, imperfectly, is letting things move sooner. Allowing the work to be seen in earlier stages. Trusting that clarity often emerges through expression rather than prior to it. It’s a small shift, but it changes the atmosphere completely. Less pressure. More momentum.
If this feels familiar, I’ll be exploring these patterns—and offering some practical ways through them—in tomorrow’s workshop, Overcoming Perfectionism and Taming the Inner Critic (Tuesday 5 May | 7.30–9.00pm UK time | £12). You can register here: https://www.meetup.com/the-art-of-creative-practice/events/314377652/
And if you’re looking for something more sustained, I currently have one space open for 1–1 coaching. It’s a chance to work with these patterns at a deeper level, in a way that’s both rigorous and, importantly, kind.
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