Perfectionist Become Drones

In college I misheard from my professor when a 30 page paper was due.

I finished it a month in advance the day before the “perceived due date”.

When I turned it in he said, “You know this isn’t due for a month?”

I said, “Yup, just wanted to get in in early.”

I had characteristics as a child that teachers and parents told me were bad.

• Hated working on things that had no connection to my life

• Got to answers faster by not using the approved method

• Splitting work with friends

• Crammed last minute

• Rushing to completion

• Not being a perfectionist

It wasn’t until my late 20’s when I started my first business that I realized many (not all) of my so called bad habits were assets as an entrepreneur.

The Perfectionist Trap

Some people worship at the altar of perfect, calling others sloppy.

Redefining perfectionism isn't about ignoring details—it's about not letting it paralyze you.

Choose your path and roll with it. Otherwise, you'll get stuck in an endless loop. You'll spin your wheels on trivial crap until your brain melts.

Perfectionism is usually procrastination, and it needs to be drop-kicked into oblivion.

Here's how to nuke perfectionism into next Saturday.

Create more than you consume

I’ve had friends that are paralyzed when it comes to starting their own business because they want more information before starting, a perfect blueprint of how to do the thing, or goldilocks conditions.

Look we all have egos and our perception of ourselves around success and failure can cause these false starts.

Here’s a list to know if you’re doing the thing:

“Preparing to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Scheduling time to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Making a to-do list for the thing isn't doing the thing.

Telling people you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Messaging friends who may or may not be doing the thing isn't doing the thing.

Writing a banger tweet about how you're going to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Hating on yourself for not doing the thing isn't doing the thing.

Hating on other people who have done the thing isn't doing the thing.

Hating on the obstacles in the way of doing the thing isn't doing the thing.

Fantasising about all of the adoration you'll receive once you do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Reading about how to do the thing isn't doing the thing.

Reading about how other people did the thing isn't doing the thing.

Reading this essay isn't doing the thing.

The only thing that is doing the thing is doing the thing.” — Strangest Loop

The speed of learning by doing the thing vs everything that isn’t doing the thing should be a major source of motivation.

Your first attempt is going to suck, you’re likely to lose money, people will laugh at you, and you’re going to be uncomfortable.

When I started my first business here’s a few of the things that I had no idea how to do:

• Build a website

• Write copy

• Start a LLC

• Order inventory

• Create an ad

• Ship a product

• Process a return

• Hire a VA

• Design a package

• Email marketing

• Create an advertising account with Facebook/Google

I didn’t aim for perfect I aimed to do the thing.

Each of these actions was another lure in the pond that gave me the opportunity to catch the fish.

Move fast

Alex Hormozi, known for scaling multiple businesses to 9-figures, emphasizes the importance of speed:

"Speed is the ultimate competitive advantage. The faster you can iterate, the faster you can improve."

To put this into practice:

• Set aggressive deadlines for yourself

• Create a ritual of focused work every day

• Implement a "ship it" mentality - release products or content before you feel 100% ready

When I launched my first online course, I gave myself just two weeks to create it. Was it perfect? Far from it. But it allowed me to get real feedback and improve rapidly.

Embrace failure as your teacher

Dan Koe, a master of personal branding, shares:

"Your failures are your greatest teachers. They show you what doesn't work, allowing you to refine your approach."

How to reframe failure:

1. Keep a "failure journal" - document what went wrong and what you learned

2. Set "failure goals" - aim to fail at least X times per month in pursuit of your objectives

3. Share your failures publicly - it builds resilience and authenticity

Justin Welsh, adds:

"I've failed more times than I can count. Each failure taught me something invaluable about business, relationships, or myself."

Take more shots

"Make more offers. The more offers you make, the more chances you have to succeed." -Alex Hormozi

Here's a process to increase your "shots":

1. Identify your goal (e.g., landing clients, partnerships, sales)

2. List 20 potential targets or opportunities

3. Craft a unique pitch or offer for each

4. Commit to reaching out to all 20 within a week

5. Track responses and iterate on your approach

I used this method to land multiple clients. Out of 20 pitches, 19 were rejections or no responses. But that one "yes" changed the trajectory of my career.

I’ve done door to door sales and pitched clients on zoom. You’re going to get rejection and have some cringe moments.

Do it enough and you’ll get good enough you’ll never need to work for someone again.

Focus on improvement, not perfection

1% better every day compounds to 37x better in a year. Focus on daily progress, not perfection.

To implement this:

• Use a habit tracker to ensure daily practice

• Set weekly "micro-goals" that align with your larger objectives

• Conduct monthly self-reviews to assess progress and adjust course

Ignore the silence (and the noise)

Justin Welsh shares his experience with this:

"I wrote consistently for 18 months before I saw any real traction. The key is to fall in love with the process, not the results."

Actionable steps:

1. Define your "minimum viable audience" - the smallest group you need to impact to consider your work worthwhile

2. Create a content calendar and stick to it, regardless of engagement

3. Focus on providing value, not on vanity metrics

4. Engage with others in your field to build relationships and learn

Final thoughts

Alex Hormozi sums it up well:

"The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything."

This applies to perfectionism too. Say no to the endless tweaking, the paralysis by analysis, and the fear of judgment. Instead, say yes to action, learning, and growth.

Break free from the chains of perfectionism. Embrace imperfection, move fast, take risks, and focus on consistent improvement. That's the real path to extraordinary results.

TL:DR

• Perfectionism can be a form of procrastination and should be avoided in favor of taking action.

• The only way to truly do something is to actually do it, not just prepare or talk about it.

• Speed and rapid iteration are crucial for business success and improvement.

• Embracing failure as a learning opportunity is essential for growth and resilience.

• Increasing the number of attempts or "shots" you take improves your chances of success.

• Consistent small improvements and focusing on the process rather than immediate results lead to significant long-term progress.

The internet game is not zero-sum. You can win at this with unlimited upside. This game is about the freedom to do what you want, when you want and with who you want.