Perfection Trap
The Paradox Of Good Enough: Perfection Trap
By Catherine Awuor
The pursuit of perfection often feels like a noble endeavour. We strive for flawless execution, impeccable results, and a spotless reputation. After all, isn’ t perfection the benchmark for success? But here lies the paradox: chasing perfection can often become the very trap that stifles innovation, delays progress, and leads to burnout.
In today’ s world where agility and adaptability trump rigidity, it can be so easy to lose ourselves in that pursuit of perfection. And when it becomes a dangerous obsession, it will cost you more than you know and even notice. Thomas Curran, the world’ s foremost expert on perfectionism, takes us deep into his book, The Perfection Trap, which looks at the dangers of obsessively going after perfection and how we can escape that trap in today’ s competitive environment. He shows what we can do to resist modern-day pressures to be perfect and explains why good enough is often a better aspiration. So, get off of that ever-moving hamster wheel of perfection and focus on what matters most.
We live in a world that glorifies perfection. The perfectly curated brand, the flawless marketing campaign, the leader who never makes mistakes. But let us be honest, how often has the pursuit of perfection held you back? You tweak and refine, secondguess and delay, believing that if you can just get it right, success will follow. But in the process, opportunities slip away, creativity shrinks, and progress slows to a crawl.
Thomas Curran, in his book The Perfection Trap, explains that our modern obsession with perfection is more than just a personal struggle, it is a societal epidemic. Perfection, he argues,“ is not a high standard, it is an impossible one”. And in a future where speed, adaptability, and innovation matter more than rigid perfectionism, this mindset could be what holds us back.
The Realism of Perfectionism
Let us cut to the chase: Perfectionism kills progress. Perfectionism manifests in ways that costs more:
• Burnout & Stress- The constant pressure to be flawless is mentally exhausting and unsustainable.
• Missed Opportunities- While you’ re still perfecting, someone else is already executing and winning.
• Stifled Creativity- Playing it“ safe” to avoid mistakes often leads to boring, forgettable work.
• Paralysis Over Progress- Instead of launching, you get stuck in a neverending loop of revisions and secondguessing.
Breaking the Chains
In order to future proof our being in the fast-paced world, we must redefine success. With a call to shift from perfection to impact, agility, and authenticity.
• Launch Fast, Learn Faster- We need to test ideas, gather feedback, and refine while on the move. Progress beats hesitation.
• Prioritize Connection Over Flawlessness- People value realness, relatability, and authenticity over polished perfection
• Define Good Enough and Stick to It- Set clear standards for when a project is ready and do not let perfectionism push the finish line further.
• Reframe Failure as Growth- Every misstep teaches something valuable. The need to always reinvent ourselves as we learn.
Progress Wins Over Perfection
Sheryl Sandberg famously said,“ Done is better than perfect. The next time you find yourself obsessing over details, ask yourself: Is this making a real impact, or am I just afraid to put it out there?"
Because the truth is, no one remembers perfection. They remember bold moves, big ideas, and the brands that had the courage to take action.
Have you ever fallen into the perfection trap? What is the key learning about balancing excellence with action?
Catherine Awuor is Head of Marketing and Corporate Communication at UBA Kenya. You can commune with her via mail at: Awuorcate8 @ gmail. com.
06 MAL64 / 25 ISSUE