How to manage your perfectionism?

3 tools to help you take action today

stephanie laurent
April 12, 2026

Hi all!

I hope you are all having a beautiful end of the week wherever you are in the world🌍

This year, I’m proud to celebrate the 100+ expat leaders I have coached so far 🎉, as well as all the incredible results they’ve achieved 🚀🚀
Why not give it a try? If you are curious about how career coaching work, but not sure if this is for you, here’s your best place to start HERE

Over the years, I have personally worked with many brilliant leaders, who are not only extremely smart, but also willing to evolve toward a more aligned version of themselves.
What I have noticed is that those who feel the most stuck, are often those who seek …

PERFECTION…

You stayed up redoing something that was already done.

It was good.

You knew it was good!

But it wasn't perfect … so you kept going.

You redo work thats already finished : NOT because it's wrong, but because it might be better (Who knows? )

-When someone says to you: "you’re doing a great job!” - you immediately think of the only one thing you wish you had done differently

-You don't apply for the dream role because you think you only tick 70% of the requirements of the job description.

-You hold yourself to standards you would never apply to a colleague, or even someone reporting into you

and you know what? You already know all of this.
And yet… you can’t help it.

What all this is actually costing you??

The damage is quiet and cumulative.

You miss the chance to speak in a meeting because you're still rethinking your point again and again. You spend 2 extra hours on something already good, and you call it …excellence..?. The cost isn't just time.

Perfectionism and Excellence (or high standards) are not the same thing.

**Excellence means knowing when you have hit the bar.

**Perfectionism means the bar keeps moving , smply because the real goal isn't quality. It's safety.

3 strategies that wil help you right away

Let me tell you: it’s uncomfortable at first, but it works:

1-Define 'done' before you start.

Write down what good enough looks like before you begin. When you hit that mark, you stop. No extensions allowed.

I’m giving you my own example: my rule for this newsletter: 70% is enough.

It takes me 1hour to write every sunday
If I aimed for perfection(more details, more research, probably less typo errors) it would take double the time. But that’s time I simply don’t have.
And honestly, I wouldn’t make it that much better.

2-Shrink the stakes.

Ask yourself: what is the real consequence if this is only 70% or 80% great? Not your worst worst case scenario, I mean the realistic one. (dont lie to yourself) Usually, it's nothing terrible.

3-Practice stopping on time.

This is something I work on directly with clients : building the muscle of finishing. Send the email without re-reading it. Submit the draft. Each small act of stopping trains your brain that the world doesn't end.

The bonus? Imagine all the time you’ll free up to spend on what truly matters: more tennis, time with your family, watching a movie, reading a good book, or simply being with friends.

One question for you this week: Where is perfectionism costing you more than it's protecting you? And what is YOUR 70%?

That’s all for me this week!

Take good care, and see you next week!

Stephanie.