The Perfectionist's Prison

Dear Andre, (3-minute read)

1 Idea: Perfectionism is just fear in a tuxedo
1 Emotion: Grateful (that I started before I was ready)
1 Action: Pick one imperfect action to take this week

It was Father's Day. June 29th 2022. I had just spent the weekend with my dad in Southern California, and I remembered a quote from Mark Randell (he’d sold his company to adobe for 400 Million dollars) "Every idea is a bad idea until it's been tested in the marketplace."

Most people would say Father's Day is the worst possible day to start knocking on doors for a new business. Families are together. People are busy. Nobody wants to be bothered.

So naturally, that's exactly when I did it.

I knocked on 30 doors that day. Some people were annoyed. Most weren't interested. (16 no’s to be exact) But two said yes. And in that moment, my idea stopped being just an idea. It became a business.

Because here's what I learned over the last 4 weeks coaching guys just like you: Every single one of them was stuck in the exact same trap.

The Problem That's Actually Killing Your Dreams

You know what every person in my coaching group was battling? It wasn't lack of ideas. It wasn't lack of motivation. It wasn't even lack of time.

It was perfectionism.

But here's the thing about perfectionism… it's not actually about being perfect. It's about being safe. It's fear wearing a fancy suit, telling you that "someday when you're ready" is better than "right now when you're not."

Perfectionism is just procrastination with better PR.

One guy had been "researching" three different business ideas. Another had been thinking about taking his driving test, but hadn’t scheduled it yet. A third had been "planning" his content rather than posting it.

Research. Prepare. Plan. All perfectly reasonable words What I Learned From My Own Prison

I spent 9 years thinking about learning drums before I finally bought a set. 7 years dreaming about Ecuador before I finally booked the flight. 4 years talking about writing a book before I finally hired a consultant.

The pattern was always the same: Wait until conditions are perfect. Until I have more money, more time, more confidence, more certainty.

But here's what actually happened when I finally acted: The car detailing business I started on that terrible Tuesday? It's now supported me for three years. The drums I was "too old" to start? They've become one of my greatest joys. Ecuador? It changed everything.

None of these things happened when I was ready. They happened when I was scared.

The 4-Week Revelation

Over those 4 weeks, I watched something incredible happen. These guys who had been stuck for months (some for years) finally started taking messy, imperfect action.

Week 1: They admitted what they actually wanted to work on (not the safe version, the real version)
Week 2: They took one concrete step (not the perfect step, just the next step)
Week 3: They changed their environment (stopped hanging around people who reinforced their excuses)
Week 4: They found their people (others who were actually doing, not just thinking)

The most encouraging part wasn't watching them succeed. It was watching them fail some days and show up anyway. That's where the real growth happened.

Your Perfectionist Prison

Here's the truth, Andre: There are just under 4 months left in this year. Right now, you're either thinking "That's not enough time to do anything significant" or "That's plenty of time to make real progress."

Your answer reveals whether you're free or still in prison.

The perfectionist says: "I'll start in January when I have a full year." The action-taker says: "I can make serious progress in 4 months."

That business you've been researching? That girl you've been thinking about asking out? That trip you've been planning to plan? That skill you've been meaning to develop?

They're all waiting for you to start before you're ready.

Break Free This Week

I'm opening 10 spots in my second Just Start cohort. We start Labor Day - September 1st. The first day of the last 4 months of the year.

This probably isn't for you, Andre. You already know perfectionism is the enemy. But you definitely know someone who's been stuck in research mode for way too long. Someone who needs permission to start before they're ready.

Forward this email to them. Tell them to DM me SPOT @danielbaarns on Instagram if they want to break free from perfectionist prison.

Because 4 months from now, they'll either have the same dreams they have today, or they'll be living them.

The only difference is whether they start Monday.

Well, that's all for now.

Daniel

P.S. - What would you start this week if you knew you didn't have to be perfect? Do that. Monday works fine.