The paralysis of perfectionism

It took me a while to get this first podcast episode right.

I’m not sure it’s “right” yet.

But it is good.

And I am proud to share it with you all.

The episode reflects on how perfectionism creeps into our creative lives, creeps us out, and forces us to keep our best shit under wraps.

Nothing we do will be perfect, yet many of us hold ourselves to that standard.

There’s always some tweak to be made or a thing that isn’t quite right.

As mentioned in the episode, I have many creative projects that have never seen the light of day (and may never) because of some perceived imperfection. It’s utter BS, and I know I am not the only one in this situation.

Which is why I am doing my first podcast on perfectionism.

And I highlight that perfectionism isn’t about having high standards (like we tell ourselves) but about fear. Putting new creative things into the world feels scary, but it’s easier to claim high standards than it is to confront the fear and act in spite of it.

That’s all I will say for the moment on the topic, but if this intrigues you, I suggest you listen to the podcast. It’s not NPR-quality, but it is quality.

You can listen to the podcast here.

And if you’re the reading type, I also wrote an article about perfectionism that you might benefit from.

That’s it until next Saturday.

I’d love to hear your reactions/reflections/experiences if you’re willing to share them with me.

PS - still trying to get the podcast apps to pick up my podcast, but they seem to be taking their time. Spotify and Apple are lagging, but Google Podcasts seems to have it together.