“The pursuit of perfection often prevents us from beginning at all.”

Until a few months back, I used to believe that if something was not perfect, it was not worth starting. If I wanted to write, I used to wait for the perfect idea and the ideas that were already there in my head were not good enough. In case if I looked for a new course, I used to always have this excuse that I do not have much time. So, in my head everything I imagined was absolutely marvellous and so perfect that it ceased to exist every time.

Waiting for the right moment, for more clarity, for more confidence or everything to fall in place is a trap, I now understand. I have learned this now that in the wait for perfection, I always missed out on progress. And most of the time, I did not even begin.

The Endless Loop of “Not Yet”

Perfectionism, in depth, can make a person feel deceptively noble. It masks itself as ambition in anyone’s mind and heart. It makes a person think that he/she is just setting high standards for themselves. But in reality, this actually paralyses them.

I just can’t count as to how many times I have held myself back due to not feeling completely ready to start anything new. I will keep on overthinking about the idea until it loses all its excitement. But then the thought of starting it a little later when the time comes, still stayed with me and this one though made it even worse for me. That later never came. That perfectionism became my comfort zone or one can say it became my polished cage. It gave the comfort of never falling at anything but also never let me grow.

The Turning Point

I am lucky enough that I never had to suffer due to this feeling of doing everything perfect. Also, I am very lucky to not have learnt this very hard way.

Until a few months ago, I was a housewife for more than 5 years. Prior to that I was working. So these past non-working years were full of ideas about doing something of my own. So I used to write the ideas, make the road map, plan things, even take the first step sometimes, but the fear of doing it all wrong or not perfect enough was so captivating that I never went ahead with any idea.

There were even times when I sat back and sulked at the time I had wasted by not doing anything about those ideas. Then the opportunity from MIDCAI came along and I again found myself thinking that I just do not know anything about this opportunity. Gave myself multiple excuses for not doing it.

But maybe my time was right, I joined MIDCAI, started coming to the office, learned a little something everyday and am still learning. But then this epiphany happened. I slowly realized that I was doing everything I needed to do to sustain this opportunity. There are some days when I push myself hard enough to be more productive, knowledgeable and confident enough. So a self realization occurred while I was and still am in progress of making myself good enough and not “perfect” for the things I want to do in my career to be able to become what I want to one day. That’s when I realized: perfectionism doesn’t protect you, it prevents you.

Execution is the key to success. You start, learn on the way of doing it and become better at it.

The Myth of the “Perfect Time”

We convince ourselves that one day everything is going to align, our thoughts, confidence and timing etc and then we will start. But life doesn’t work that way. If we keep waiting for perfect conditions, we will spend our whole life waiting.

Remember, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

If we keep on planning and are not executing, life takes turns in that time and gives you something else to sulk about or to be grateful about. But that particular perfect time is not going to arrive at all.

Since I have started working at MIDCAI, I have also had several thoughts played again and again in my mind. Am I good enough? What if I waited for some time and made myself perfect enough for this job by learning etc. But while these thoughts captured my attention, I was continuously working, showing up every single day in one way or the other.

And that is when it clicked me that authenticity is far more powerful than perfection.

How Perfectionism Shows Up at Work

In professional life, perfectionism hides itself behind many masks:

• The endless revisions of a presentation that’s already good.
• The hesitation to share an idea in a meeting because it’s “not fully thought out.”
• The reluctance to delegate because “no one else will do it right.”
• The obsession with minor details while the big picture gets lost.

And ironically, while perfectionism is meant to make us excel, it often does the opposite. It slows us down. It creates self doubt. It makes us more afraid to take the first step or any initiative.

But, workplaces thrive not on perfection, but on psychological safety and continuous learning. The best ideas often start as messy drafts. The best leaders aren’t perfect, they’re present, evolving, and human.

Embracing “Good Enough”

Good enough used to sound like mediocrity to me. Not this phrase sounds like freedom to me. It doesn't mean that I care less. It means that I am progressing. It means that I have done my best within my capacity, my time and my knowledge. And that this is enough for me to take the next step.

When I started embracing “good enough”, my life began to move ahead. Prior to that I was just standing at the same place, thinking of the same thoughts and doing nothing about it. I have started writing again which brings a lot of peace to me.  I started learning and started sharing my knowledge through my writings. I started saying “let’s try” instead of “let’s wait”. And suddenly I realized that things began to happen imperfectly, organically and beautifully.

The Emotional Shift

Letting go of perfectionism is never about lowering the standards. It is about releasing the fear of being imperfect. It is about trusting our own growth and that it lies in motion and not in meticulous preparation.

Now whenever I look back, I sometimes regret not starting earlier but also feel happy at the same time that I am now on the right track. The moment you start, even with shaky confidence and no plans, you are already ahead of who you were yesterday.

A Note to My Fellow Perfectionists

If you are honestly waiting for the right moment or perfect moment for switching careers, to learn something new or to start writing or anything else, you need to know this:

There will never be the perfect time.

There will only be “now”.

Just start with what you have and learn along the way. What remains unfinished today can turn into something extraordinary tomorrow but you will have to take the first step. Good enough helps you breathe, grow and evolve. And sometimes, good enough is what leads you to your best self.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”