Your "perfectionism" is taking you down
“You see Niyaaz, your 80% is others’ 90 or 95%.”
Those words stayed with me long enough that I stuck a post-it note on my monitor that read: 90/10 — my own shorthand version for the Pareto Principle.
A few years ago, while working as a strategist, I developed a reputation for using visuals to tell complex stories. It became a sought-after skill in an environment that traditionally relied on text-heavy documents, memorandums and policy papers. The problem? I worked late regularly, often taking work home with me (not in the working from home sense as it wasn't that common then).
Not because the work wasn’t good enough but because I wasn’t done with it. I’d obsess over the finishing touches: colour shading, spacing, alignment, font size, the exact positioning of shapes on a page. The artefacts landed well. People loved them.
But - and there’s always a but - the extra time wasn’t adding value.
My manager named what I couldn’t see. She appreciated the quality of my work, but she challenged the cost. She pointed out that what I was producing at 80% was already more than sufficient. That’s where her observation came from: others’ 90–95% often matched my 80%.
Some would have taken that as criticism. I heard permission.
Perfectionism, dressed up as virtue
In my coaching work, I now see similar patterns emerge when clients talk about “seeking to perfect” or describe themselves as “perfectionists”.
The more I sit with it, the more I question whether perfectionism even exists - because there is no such thing as perfect. And yet many of us are conditioned to chase it as though it’s real.
When we inevitably fall short of this imagined standard, the internal narrative kicks in:
You’re not ready.
That idea isn’t ready to launch.
Don’t put your hand up yet.
What often gets labelled as “high standards” quietly becomes self-doubt, hesitation and delay.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many capable, thoughtful people think this way. Meanwhile, others - sometimes less competent, less prepared - step forward with confidence and conviction. They put themselves in the room, and too often, they end up with the influence, the opportunities and the decision-making power.
Excellence is not perfection’s cousin
Here’s the reframe that matters.
Perfectionism is abstract, distant and unachievable.
Excellence is grounded, contextual and real.
Excellence is doing your best with what you have, in the environment you’re in. It’s responsive, not rigid. And crucially, it looks different for each of us.
That’s what makes it a level playing field.
Psychologists will tell you that perfectionistic tendencies can stem from many places - early expectations, education systems, personality traits, even genetics.
Some aspects can be useful: care, diligence, attentoin to detail. (See what I did there?)
Others are less helpful: control, rigidity, procrastination.
For some, these tendencies tip into anxiety or obsessive patterns that require professional support. But for many of us, perfectionism is simply a belief we’ve learned - or absorbed - over time.
And anything learned can be unlearned.
Intentional action
For some, changing deeply held beliefs feels like it requires divine intervention. In reality, it’s more practical than that. Our beliefs weren’t born at the same time as us and so we don’t have to remain loyal to them.
Intentional action starts with asking better questions:
What would “good enough” look like here?
What am I protecting - quality, comfort, my ego?
What do I fear happening if I went for it?
What might happen if I trusted my 80%?
Progress doesn’t come from polishing, word-smithing or endless detailing.
It comes from movement.
And more often than not, the thing holding us back isn’t a lack of readiness, it’s the belief that readiness must feel or look a certain way before we begin.
I'm here to tell you that it doesn't need to be.
Final thought
If you’ve been holding back because you or your idea didn’t feel ready, consider this: readiness is rarely a feeling. It’s a decision. Followed by action because that's where you'll get traction.
Some of you might need a little more support, a bit more tension, a gentle nudge or someone willing to ask the questions you’ve been avoiding. If that sounds like you, reach out for a complimentary strategy chat (visuals may or may not be involved).
Go on, my friend stop waiting for ready. Take that Next Step.
