How Perfectionism Is Killing Your Income — and What to Do Instead

Perfectionism is clever.

It disguises itself as high standards, professionalism, and even success.
But behind the mask, it’s doing something dangerous:  It’s silently draining your income.

In one of my recent mini masterclasses, I shared what I call one of the most expensive patterns I see in women leaders and business owners: the belief that you have to get it “just right” before you launch, speak, sell, or show up.

Sound familiar?

“I just need to tweak the offer before I tell people about it.”
“I’ll go live once I feel a bit more polished.”
“I want my message to sound perfect before I post.”

These might seem like responsible thoughts. But here’s the truth:

You don’t get paid for perfection. You get paid for what you offer.

And perfectionism?
It keeps you offering nothing.

The Hidden Cost of Polishing in Private

Here’s what perfectionism really does in your business:

🔁 You polish in private instead of offering in public.
📉 You lose visibility.
💸 You delay offers — and delay income.

I’ve lived this. I’ve masked my confidence through presentation and performance.
I once prepped a corporate pitch so perfectly that when asked a spontaneous question, I froze — because it wasn’t in the script.

That’s what perfectionism does. It trains you to perform instead of trust your own voice.

The 3 Faces of Perfectionism (And How They Trap You)

There are three core types of perfectionism that show up in business:

Self-Oriented: I must meet my impossible standards.

Other-Oriented: I expect others to meet those standards too.

Socially Prescribed: I believe others expect me to be perfect.

That last one?
It’s the most damaging — because it directly impacts your self-worth and willingness to be seen.

But here’s what I want you to know:

Perfectionism isn’t who you are — it’s a learned pattern.
And what’s learned can be unlearned.

What to Do Instead: Courageous Action in Real Time
The antidote to perfectionism isn’t another plan.
It’s practice. Messy, brave, real-time action.

✔ Make the offer before it’s “ready.”
✔ Speak before you feel polished.
✔ Show up imperfectly — and show your audience what real leadership looks like.

You don’t become confident then speak.
You speak, and confidence catches up.

Here’s what I want you to try this week:

✨ Choose one thing you’ve been sitting on because it’s “not ready.”
✨ Share it. Speak it. Offer it.
✨ Let that be enough.

Because done imperfectly is more powerful than perfect, but invisible.

You’re Not Alone — And You Don’t Have to Unlearn This Alone Either.
So, if you're done with perfect and ready to get profitable, I’d love to support you.

🎤 Book a Speaker Strategy Session with me — where we’ll map out how to stop hiding, start speaking, and get paid for your presence.

This is for the woman who knows she has something to say, but perfection keeps her quiet.