5 Transitions Made Easier As Soon As You Ditch Perfectionism
We’ve all waited for that, you know, PERFECT moment to do something, right? I mean, I’ve done it and so have you. And it might be small, insignificant stuff, like maybe you rewrote the same email fifteen times before you finally sent it, or you held off on making that one decision because the timing wasn’t ‘right’.
But let me tell you something – ‘perfect timing’ is as much of a fairytale and it should go into the same bucket where unicorns are, because that’s where it belongs. It simply doesn’t exist.
Perfectionism doesn’t always mean high standards and, often, it shows up as hesitation. And if you’re in the middle of a big transition, hesitating will cost you more than you think. Life challenges don’t reward perfect timing or flawless execution.
The reward goes to progress, movement, decisions made with information you have at this very moment.
Letting Go to Move Forward
When things feel uncertain, it’s normal to stall out because you want to be sure you’re making the right decision. But when it comes to transitions, they come with risk, discomfort, and no guarantee you’re getting it ‘right’. That’s where perfectionism starts to creep in, trying to convince you that juuuust a little more time, effort, a bit of tweaking, and all of this will somehow magically make the move easier.
It won’t. To get moving, you have to let go of perfection because it’s holding you back, and you don’t even know it.
Here are some big transitions that get a whole lot easier when you stop waiting for the perfect moment.
1. Launching a Business Before You’re ‘Ready’
I rarely make definitive statements, but here’s one I’m totally comfortable making: You’ll never feel 100% ready to launch a business. It’s always going to be scary and there will always be just that one last thing you need to do to make it perfect. But every minute you wait is a minute you’re not going forward.
Sitting in draft mode won’t give you clarity. The way you find it is by putting something out there, watching how people respond, and tweaking as you go. The logo, the offer, the website, it will all evolve, just get it live already.
2. Leaving a Job That No Longer Fits
If you feel like your job is this huge weight you’re dragging around, it’s a sign to let it go. Too many people stay stuck because they don’t have their next position perfectly lined up. But leaving doesn’t always need a backup plan; it needs the guts to admit you’ve outgrown where you are.
According to Gallup, 50% of workers are stressed by their job on a daily basis, and you have to admit that that’s no way to live.
Once the wrong thing is out of the way, you have more time, energy, and mental space to find something better.
3. Selling a Home Without Overpreparing
Bathroom needs to be renovated? The porch is looking a little dingy? Well, you’ll just wait until that’s taken care of before you list your house, even though you’ve already mentally moved out of it. Wrong move. Really, really wrong. If you try to make everything perfect, it might end up working against you. Some buyers want move-in ready, others just want to move in.
Let me tell you how I would do this. Let’s say I have a house in Houston and it needed a few minor renovations to look perfect. Now, if I wanted to sell my house fast in Houston, all I’d have to do is look up what the average prices are and then list it. That’s it. Cosmetic touch-ups?
No, thank you, who knows how long that’ll last, and I’ll bet it still won't be ‘perfect’ when it’s done.
4. Launching a Website with Imperfect Copy
Done is better than perfect, especially online. Why would you spend months obsessing over every word, spacing, or color palette? Until you publish a new website, no one will see it and, even when you do, most people aren’t looking that closely.
What matters is that people can find you, understand what you do, and take action. Get it live, make people know you exist, then improve as you go along.
5. Moving to a New City Without a Full Plan
Now, this one is scary, but it’s more exciting than anything else. Sometimes the opportunity comes before the logistics do and you have to act right away. If you wait until you have every detail figured out, you’ll miss your chance.
Moving usually happens before you feel totally ‘set’, and that’s okay. I promise you, you can figure it out. It’s more important to be where you need to be than having a plan that’s perfect on paper.
Conclusion
Perfection will make you look busy while staying stuck. You think you’re being thoughtful, careful, strategic. But in reality, you’re stalling and you know your perfectionist tendencies are getting in the way.
Transitions aren’t easy and polished, but you don’t get clarity if you wait. Imperfect progress is still progress, so just go. The rest will catch up.