Perfectionism is often seen as a positive trait, especially in the design industry. After all, who wouldn’t want their work to be flawless? However, while striving for perfection can drive high standards, it can also be a double-edged sword, leading to procrastination, missed opportunities, and ultimately, stunted business growth.
Here you’ll learn how perfectionism is holding you back and explore actionable steps for overcoming perfectionism for interior designers, so you can start maximizing your profits and achieving your business goals.
1. The Trap of Perfectionism in Your Business
Perfectionism often sneaks into various aspects of your interior design business, turning what should be progress into procrastination. Here are some common areas where perfectionism can trip you up:
Logo and Branding: Waiting for the perfect logo or branding can cause you to delay reaching out to potential clients or partners. It’s essential to move forward with a “good enough” version and refine it as you go. No one is hiring because of your logo. Overcoming perfectionism for interior designers means understanding that perfection is not the end goal—progress is.
Website Launch: A website is never truly finished. Holding off on launching until every detail is perfect can cost you months of potential business. Instead, get your site live with a functional version and make continuous improvements over time.
Business Cards and Marketing Materials: Don’t wait for the perfect business card or brochure to start networking. Use what you have and update as needed.
Photography: Delaying project photography until everything is perfect might cause you to miss out on showcasing your work. Capture your projects when they’re 85% to 95% complete and use tools like Photoshop to polish the final images. Overcoming perfectionism for interior designers involves accepting that your work doesn’t have to be flawless to be effective.
Social Media Presence: Intimidated by the seemingly perfect social media profiles you see online? Remember, being human and reall gets rewarded. Authenticity will resonate more with your audience than a curated, “perfect” feed.
Hiring Team Members: If you believe you’re the only one who can do things perfectly, you’ll never scale your business. Allow your team to make mistakes and learn; it’s the only way they’ll grow into their roles. Overcoming perfectionism for interior designers means trusting others and letting go of the need for control.
2. The Cost of Perfectionism
Perfectionism doesn’t just slow you down—it also has tangible costs:
Lost Opportunities: Waiting for perfection can mean missing out on golden opportunities, whether it’s landing a new client or getting published in a high-profile magazine.
Stalled Projects: Projects that never reach completion because you’re waiting for every detail to be flawless ultimately hurt your reputation and your bottom line.
Stress and Burnout: Perfectionism leads to higher levels of stress, anxiety, and even burnout. This not only affects your health but also your ability to run a successful business.
3. Types of Perfectionism
Understanding the types of perfectionism can help you identify where you might be struggling:
Self-Focused Perfectionism: This is where you set excessively high standards for yourself and harshly judge your own work.
Socially Prescribed Perfectionism: This occurs when you try to meet the unrealistic standards set by others, whether they’re clients, colleagues, or industry norms.
Other-Focused Perfectionism: This type involves imposing high standards on others, which can lead to difficulties in managing teams and collaborating with partners.
4. Overcoming Perfectionism
To break free from perfectionism, consider these steps:
Aim for Progress, Not Perfection: Shift your mindset from trying to be perfect to focusing on progress. Delivering a project at 90% completion is better than holding off until it’s “perfect.” Overcoming perfectionism for interior designers means recognizing that done is better than perfect.
Set Realistic Goals: Establish goals that are ambitious yet achievable. Recognize that you can always improve over time, but don’t let the pursuit of perfection prevent you from delivering results.
Delegate and Trust Your Team: Empower your team by delegating tasks and trusting them to do their jobs. Mistakes will happen, but they’re an essential part of growth. This is a key strategy in overcoming perfectionism for interior designers.
Embrace Imperfection: Understand that imperfection is a natural part of the creative process. It’s what makes your work unique and authentic.
Key Takeaways
Perfectionism can be a significant barrier to your success, leading to missed opportunities, increased stress, and stunted growth. By recognizing the ways in which perfectionism is holding you back and taking steps to overcome it, you can start making progress, delivering results, and ultimately boosting your profits.
Remember, overcoming perfectionism for interior designers is not about lowering your standards—it’s about being realistic and understanding that your best work isn’t perfect—it’s finished, delivered, and appreciated by your clients.
When you’re ready to increase your interior design business profits, work exclusively with ideal clients, and enjoy the time and resources for your extraordinary life, explore your coaching options. We’ve got your back in the business of design and the business of home.
