Were you aware that 41% of Americans create New Year’s resolutions, yet only 9% believe they successfully adhere to them? This staggering 91% failure rate often stems from the way we establish our goals.
Many studies pinpoint the setting of unrealistic goals as a major cause of failure. However, I believe this indicates a deeper issue—the failure to connect with or align ourselves properly with our goals. This is where perfectionism and procrastination enter the picture.
Perfectionism is essentially fear taking the form of a mental barrier. It’s not just the fear of failure or social rejection but more so the fear of change. Our subconscious tends to favor the status quo, as it recognizes that your past choices have led to your survival. Change, in its eyes, is merely unsettling the boat and risking an unknown outcome.
Are Perfectionism and Procrastination Hindering Your Goal Achievement?
Claiming to be a perfectionist prompts a closer examination of what that truly means. Is it a commitment to refining something until it meets your standard of perfection? Or is it a reluctance to embark on a venture unless you can guarantee a flawless outcome?
If you lean towards the latter, it’s crucial to recognize that this perfectionism-procrastination loop may serve as an excuse—a manifestation of an ingrained subconscious fear of change.
Consider this perspective:
Substituting the term “unrealistic” with “vague” may provide a more accurate assessment of the issue. Often, individuals express desires to earn more money, lose weight, or adopt healthier eating habits without precisely defining what those aspirations entail. Pursuing such ambiguous goals makes it challenging to chart an accurate course toward them, leaving individuals wandering aimlessly.
Reflect on tasks that seem mundane yet hold purpose in your routine—like grocery shopping or doing laundry. These activities, performed regularly and purposefully, involve a clear objective. For instance, going to the supermarket ensures you have food, and having food enables you to eat, ensuring your survival. The purpose is unmistakable.
As you head to the supermarket, the potential catastrophic consequences of not completing the task don’t weigh heavily on your mind. It’s simply a matter of checking off items from your shopping list. Your mental and energetic connection to the outcome—bringing home the necessary items—is already established, even if subconsciously.
Mentally achieving the goal precedes the physical execution, and the process becomes second nature, requiring minimal conscious thought as you navigate the store.
Breaking the Procrastination-Perfectionism Loop in 3 steps
1. Identify the Loop
To initiate the break from the perfectionism-procrastination loop, the first step is recognizing it. Bring your attention to the ongoing pattern and delve into the underlying factors contributing to your perfectionist tendencies. Approach this self-reflection with honesty and gentleness, avoiding harsh judgment.
Steer clear of introducing judgment and overly critical self-evaluation, as they can be as detrimental as the subconscious fear of change. Strive to adopt the role of an impartial observer, merely witnessing the dynamics at play without imposing immediate judgment.
2. Establish Clear Intentions
Armed with this newfound awareness, you’ll notice a natural shift in your approach to goals. However, it’s crucial to learn how to set intentions properly. If you find yourself among those who set New Year’s resolutions but struggle with perfectionism and inaction, consider questioning your goal-setting approach:
“Why, as a self-proclaimed perfectionist, am I consistently setting vague goals?”
Would a true perfectionist aim to achieve “more money” this year without specifying further? Would someone deeply committed to perfection in health and fitness set the goal of simply “losing more weight”?
You might genuinely believe that the fear of not hitting the target precisely is a reason to avoid starting. But what exactly are you aiming for in the first place?
Let’s take a step back and examine procrastination. According to researchers, procrastination is a form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potential negative consequences.
While we have discussed procrastination as a form of non-action over time, it’s essentially the unwarranted postponement of a task. When it comes to achieving goals, it’s not the act of procrastination itself that hinders progress but the consistent delay based on irrational or subconscious beliefs. It’s what the Spanish refer to as “mañana” thinking.
If you delay a task until tomorrow because you genuinely don’t want to do it today, it might still be procrastinatory behavior. However, if you complete the task tomorrow, what harm is done? The real issue arises when this procrastination becomes a consistent pattern, preventing you from reaching your goals over time. While this may seem obvious, it’s crucial to clarify the concept before embarking on any changes.
Now that we’ve clarified these points, it’s hoped that your perspective on procrastination has shifted enough to accurately assess whether it’s impeding your progress. This understanding should also help you refrain from passing judgment on your procrastination behavior.
3. Seek Support and Mentorship
Personal growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it requires the support and constructive feedback of others. How else can you objectively evaluate whether your outcome is perfect? Connect with individuals who have treaded a similar path before you and reach out for guidance. Even if reaching out directly seems challenging, explore interviews or publicly available advice they may have shared.
One challenge you’ve faced is viewing the perfect outcome solely through your perspective. Understanding the broader community and market perspectives on an ideal outcome will provide a clearer, more realistic goal. This insight enables you to identify your shortcomings and pinpoint the areas that require improvement.
Refine your language and communication. Consider the words you use both externally and in your internal dialogue. What narrative are you reinforcing within yourself?
Is Your Self-Talk Based on Reality?
Perfectionism inherently deems anything short of perfection as unacceptable.[3] How does this relate to delaying tasks despite potential negative consequences? In a literal sense, perfectionism should fuel a desire to persist in taking action until an acceptable outcome is achieved, not unreasonably abstain from action altogether!
Final Thoughts
Challenge yourself the next time you attribute procrastination and perfectionism as the reason for not taking action, whether to yourself or others. Acknowledge the underlying fear of change without self-condemnation. Recognize it for what it is and begin reshaping the belief systems that drive these behaviors.