A few days ago, I had a conversation that felt too familiar. Someone told me they wanted to start working on their company but hadnt yet. There are no clear blockers for this, and shes got the skills. It's just that she felt "not ready yet".
I asked her "are you a perfectionist?" simply because i remembered feeling that way. I remember not posting things on my social media because I thought I didnt have what it takes. I remember not applying for things because I thought I didnt have the skills or I was ineligible. I was basically disqualifying myself because I felt that I was "not ready".
For a long time, I thought perfectionism meant having high standards. Wanting things done well. Wanting to be proud of what you put out into the world. But lately, I have realized that perfectionism often shows up as fear... it just has good PR.
Fear of getting it wrong
Fear of being judged
Fear of starting and realizing you do not actually know as much as you thought
So instead of starting, you plan more. You keep tweaking. You wait. You convince yourself that you are preparing. But I truly believe (now) that 'perfect' is actually subjective.
What looks perfect to you today will look incomplete to you in six months. What feels not good enough now might be exactly what someone else needs. And if there is always something to improve, then waiting for perfect means waiting forever.
At some point, I had to accept that perfect is an illusion. A moving target. A trap.
What actually helped me move was this shift in thinking. I stopped asking "Is this ready?" and started asking "can this teach me something if I start now?" The question changes everything.
When you start early, you get feedback. Feedback from users, from reality and from your own mistakes. You see what actually matters versus what you were obsessing over in your head. You grow faster because you are reacting to real problems and not the imaginary ones.
I should also mention that staring doesnt mean lowering your standards. It means changing how you reach them.
You do not build something great by waiting until version one is flawless. You build something great by shipping version one, learning from it and making version two better... then version three. Then version ten
The funny thing is that once you start, the fear loses its power. You realize that mistakes are not the end of the world. They are part of the process. Sometimes, they are the process. And I dont know if its just me (I dont believe that I am) but there is something freeing about allowing yourself to be a beginner. To be imperfect. To enjoy the ride instead of stressing about the destination.
So, if you are sitting on an idea, a company, a product or even a first step, waiting for the moment when everything feels right, this is your sign.
Just start.
Make mistakes. Fix them. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Perfect will never arrive but progress will...