Do you spend hours meticulously checking every detail before publishing? Have you ever delayed a project, worried it wasn’t quite perfect yet? For many professionals, particularly those in high-pressure fields like tech, the drive to over-prepare and over-deliver can feel like the only way to get ahead. Beneath the surface, this behavior has its roots in a deeper issue: perfectionism, fueled by impostor syndrome.
Impostor syndrome makes you doubt your abilities and fear being exposed as a fraud, even when you’re more than qualified. Perfectionism offers a false sense of control: if everything you produce is flawless, no one can criticize it! Unfortunately, this coping mechanism often backfires:
To break free, you need to reframe your mindset and develop healthier habits.
As a relatively junior software engineer, I was in a meeting with our stakeholders and one of them asked me a direct and deeply technical question. I felt intimidated by the situation and the person asking, and I didn't feel confident in my answer. When I shared the experience with my mentor later that day I said, "I will never walk into a meeting like that again and be unprepared." She responded, "you will waste a lot of your time preparing for questions that might never come. You would be better off learning how to say 'I’ll get back to you,' and learning how to follow up!"
Her advice cut to the core of my perfectionism – I could have wasted hours each week trying to anticipate questions and still miss the mark! I started to limit my preparation efforts, focus on my listening skills, and get comfortable saying “I don’t know, but I can find out!”
Here are some signs that over-preparation might be holding you back:
If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to confront the perfectionism trap.
One team I worked with had a working agreement that I continue to use today: “It’s good enough for now.” It may sound like a lowering of the bar, but it is actually a way to ensure you stop and check before going too far down a path. The fast track to failure is to wait until you are finished with a project before checking to see if you have solved the right problem. Here are some strategies I use to help combat my feelings of perfectionism:
By prioritizing progress over perfection – and getting feedback early and often– we are more likely to make an impact. Landing the impact is more important that getting it right the first time.
When you stop over-preparing, you free up time and energy to focus on what truly matters.
Breaking free from the perfectionism trap won’t happen overnight, but small changes can have a big impact. Start by identifying one area where you tend to over prepare and commit to trying a different approach. Share that project earlier, set a timer, or simply remind yourself that good enough really is good enough.
You’re not alone in this journey. Many of us have struggled with the perfectionism-impostor syndrome cycle, but it’s possible to break free and thrive. Remember that you aren't measured by how perfectly you execute but by the impact you make. Embrace imperfection, and watch your career soar.
If you’re ready to take control of your mindset and leave perfectionism behind, join my 8-week program, Conquering Impostor Syndrome. Together, we’ll develop the tools you need to thrive as a confident and impactful leader.