E3: How to Let Go of Perfectionism

When Does It Get Good?

Perfectionism holds us back. While this may sound like stating the obvious, it's actually much more complex. Zovig Garboushian explores this complexity in this episode of “When Does It Get Good?” by delving into the nuanced differences between striving for excellence and falling into the trap of perfectionism—a path marked by external pressures, fear, and an insatiable drive for flawless performance.

Drawing a clear line between the healthy pursuit of excellence and the detrimental pursuit for perfection, Zovig illustrates how excellence fosters growth and learning, whereas perfectionism is rooted in the fear of not measuring up to external standards and expectations. She explores both the external forces, such as societal pressures and the influence of social media, and internal battles, including "all-or-nothing" thinking and the pervasive "not-enough" syndrome, that fuel perfectionism.

Zovig outlines actionable strategies for breaking free from the habit of perfectionism: recognizing and challenging perfectionist thoughts, engaging in self-reflection to rewrite empowering narratives, seeking support from communities that provide honest feedback, dissociating perfection from identity, and embracing excellence over perfection instead.

Through personal stories and experiences, this episode is both a reflection on Zovig’s own journey through perfectionism and a guide for others to discover their true potential by finding balance and self-compassion and choosing excellence over unattainable perfection.

Quotes

• "Pursuing perfectionism is not the same as pursuing excellence. Pursuing excellence is about wanting to do our best work at any given time and taking into account that we are always improving. Excellence is intrinsically motivated, which means it comes from within. It doesn't mean I'm trying to prove anything. Instead, I want to be excellent because when I do anything at my level of excellence, then it adds value to the world and it feels good while I do it. Pursuing excellence gives you space to learn and make mistakes and get through the growing pains that are inevitable when we do anything." (02:17 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "There's always room for change and for growth. Striving for excellence gives you the grace to learn and to make mistakes and to be yourself and to feel good while it's happening." (04:12 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "We have these tools and platforms that are supposed to connect us, and to a degree they do, but they allow for so much manipulation that our expectations are skewed of what's real and what's not." (09:06 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "Perfectionism is not your personality. It isn't your identity. It's a coping mechanism. It works against you." (20:16 | Zovig Garboushian)
• "It is not your job to know everything. It is your job to be learning and evolving. That is the difference between perfection, which is impossible, and excellence, which is very possible. Perfection does not exist. It keeps us stuck in place. It tells us we have to know more before we can make a move. It prevents us from hitting send and publish and accept. If I waited to be perfect before I started this podcast, I'd be waiting until I died. Perfection keeps us stuck and it allows for no growth." (25:21 | Zovig Garboushian)

Links

Connect with Zovig Garboushian:

Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm