Break Free from Perfectionism: Take Action and Achieve Your Goals

Is perfectionism holding you back from achieving your dreams? Discover how to break free from the endless cycle of planning and start taking real action today. On this episode of the Morning Mindset Podcast, I, Craig Skelton, will guide you through the psychological comfort of talking about your goals and how it can deceive you into feeling a false sense of progress. We dive deep into the necessity of stepping out of your comfort zone, embracing the unknown, and facing the challenges head-on.

Join me as I share personal insights on overcoming the pitfalls of perfectionism and the all-too-common trap of waiting for the "perfect moment" to start. Learn why focusing on minor details can halt your progress and how shifting your mindset can propel you forward. By the end of this episode, you'll be inspired to stop obsessing over the small stuff and start making tangible strides toward your goals, armed with practical advice and a boost of motivation to kickstart your journey from dreaming to achieving.

Watch the episode on YouTube youtube.com/@themorning-mindset

Looking for one to one mentoring, visit my website to see how it works craigskelton.co.uk

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Morning Mindset Podcast with me, craig Skelton. Each day, we kick off your morning with positivity, actionable insights and the motivation you need to conquer the day. Whether you're looking to develop a positive mindset, habit of persistence or simply starting your day on the right foot. This podcast is your daily dose of inspirational and practical advice, and today's topic I'm sure it's one that a lot of us can relate to it's the gap between saying and doing. It's time to stop talking about what you're going to do, stop worrying about the small stuff and just get on with it. I'm not one for quotes. However, this one has been imprinted in my brain the distance between dreams and reality is called action, which might sound simple, but in reality, a lot of us get stuck somewhere in that gap. We've all had those grand ideas of these plans we're going to do this one day and these changes we're planning to make one day. We never quite get around to them. So why is that? Why do we find ourselves talking more about what we're going to do than actually doing it itself? How can we break free from this cycle and really start taking action? That's what I wanted to get into in today's podcast.

Speaker 1: 1:11

First of all. Let's look at the comfort of talking versus the challenge of doing. Why so many of us fall into the trap of endless talking, endless planning, without actually taking the leap into action? I think one of the biggest reasons is comfort. Talking about what you're going to do someday, imagining the future. It all feels good, doesn't it? It feels warm, it feels safe. It's like we're tricking our brains into thinking, making progress, even when we're not. When we talk about our goals and our dreams, we get a little bit of a hit of which is that feel good chemical in our brains. It feels like doing something, even though all we is talking about it. We get that emotional reward without taking any of the real risks or challenges that come with actually doing the thing. But talking isn't doing, isn't progressing and dreaming isn't achieving. At some point you're going to have to stop talking and start taking action if you want to see real results in your life.

Speaker 1: 2:08

The moment we shifted from talking to doing, we enter the realm of uncertainty. We face challenges, we face obstacles and, let's be honest, we're going to face failures too. And that's scary, that's uncomfortable. So we stay in our comfort zone instead telling ourselves we'll start tomorrow, once everything's planned out. I'm going to do it, but the truth is there's no such thing as the perfect time. You'll never have all the answers before you start. The only way to get where you want to go is just to take that first step right now.

Speaker 1: 2:39

Another big reason why people get stuck in the talk phase is perfectionism. I'm sure many of you can relate to this. We convince ourselves that we need everything to be right before we can start. We need that perfect plan, the perfect circumstances, the perfect skills, that perfect brand, that perfect slogan. But perfection is just in disguise. Perfectionism is just a way of protecting ourselves from failure. If we don't start, we can't fail. But by waiting for perfection, you're actually failing by default. You're failing to make progress, you're failing to learn and grow. You're failing to turn your dreams into a reality. One of the most important lessons that I've learned is that done is better than perfect. To start messy and learn along the way, to wait until you feel completely ready, because that day will never come. So if you're for the perfect time, perfect conditions, the perfect version of yourself, before you start, I say to you stop waiting, start now, start where you are and start with what you have.

Speaker 1: 3:40

Now let's talk about the thing that keeps us stuck worrying about the small stuff. Have you ever found yourself obsessing over the tiniest detail, to the point that stops you from making any progress at all? Maybe you're starting a new business venture, or, and you're caught up in the minute detail of what what does your brand look like? What color scheme to choose your logo? What font do you use? What software do you use? And before it, hours, days, even weeks have gone by and you've still not made any progress. The truth is small stuff. The truth is small stuff doesn't matter nearly as much as you think it does. It's just another form of procrastination to avoid the real work, the work that's challenging, that pushes you out of your comfort zone, that actually moves you closer to your goals.

Speaker 1: 4:30

How do you stop worrying about the small stuff? By focusing on what really matters, identifying the core tasks that will have the biggest impact on your progress. Tackle those first. The rest will either fall into place or be far less important than you originally thought. So why should you just get on with it?

Speaker 1: 4:46

Why is it so crucial to stop talking and start doing right now? Firstly, because time is your most precious resource. Every day you spend talking instead of doing is a day you're never, ever going to get back. You don't have an infinite amount of time to achieve your goal. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to start and the more opportunities you will have missed out on. Secondly, action is the only way. Secondly, action is the only way to learn and to grow. You can't gain experience by talking about it, by talking about what you're actually going to do. You have to actually do it and, yes, you might fail, but failure is not the end. It's crucial part of the learning process. Every failure teaches you something valuable, something that brings you closer to success. And finally, taking action builds momentum. Once you start, even if it's the smallest of steps you start to, you create a sense of forward motion, and that momentum makes it easier to keep going before you'll be achieving the things that you once only talked about.

Speaker 1: 5:51

How do you actually start taking action? Here's a few ideas. The first thing is break it down. Whatever your goal is, break it down to smaller, manageable tasks. Don't try to tackle everything all at once. Focus on that first step and then the next step, and so on. The second thing is set a deadline. Give yourself a timeline to complete every single task, create urgency and help prevent procrastination. The third thing to do is hold yourself accountable. Share your goals with someone who can hold you accountable. Sometimes, the fear of letting someone else down is enough to keep you moving forward.

Speaker 1: 6:26

The fourth thing is embrace imperfection. Things won't be perfect, and that's okay. It's far better than perfect. Remember, you can always improve as you go. The fifth thing is start now. Do not wait for tomorrow. Don't wait for that perfect moment. Start today. Even if it's the smallest step, the important thing is to get started. Okay, that's it. That's today's episode of the Morning Mindset. Remember, talking about your goals, making plans, dreaming big are all great. The real magic happens when you stop talking and start doing so. Whatever you've been putting off, whatever you've been putting off, whatever you've been planning to do tomorrow, I challenge you to start today. Take that first step and do the thing. Thank you for tuning in. Thank you for listening. I hope you found today's episode helpful. Please share it if you do feel that somebody who needs that little push to take action. Have an amazing day, stay motivated, stay focused, stay positive and run your own race.