- This won’t work.
- I’ll start tomorrow.
- I’ve got more important stuff to do right now.
- I don’t deserve that.
- That’s too foolish.
- Everybody will think I’ve gone crazy.
- I’m too old for this.
- I’m not experienced enough.
- Others are so much better.
- I’ve got nothing to contribute.
- They will never let me.
- I haven’t got what it takes.
- They won’t think this is a good idea.
- They don’t think this is a good idea.
- I’m crazy.
- I’m fooling myself.
- (And I’m making a fool of myself.)
- I’m wasting my time.
- This is just too frivolous.
- This is so out of character, this is so not me.
- This is too risky.
- Besides, I haven’t got enough time.
- They count on me (and when I’m doing that thing, I will have less time for them).
- I’ll disappoint them.
- I haven’t done this before.
- I’ll fail.
- (And they’ll all be laughing behind my back.)
- This is too soon; I need to read this book, take this training, … first.
- I’m not ready.
- I’ll never be as successful as they are.
- So why bother?
How are you talking yourself out of doing something?
8 Responses to 31 fail proof ways a perfectionist talks herself out of doing something.
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I work with smart, dynamic and driven people that are ticking all the boxes of success, yet feeling as if they are living their life with the brakes on. I work with caring and generous people that are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. I work with savvy, fun and creative high achievers that want to reconnect with what they really want in life, instead of living out everyone else’s expectations and worrying they’re not good enough. Together, we dive in. Together, we dive deep. I offer a different perspective. I offer tools and concepts and a space to explore. You explore. You take action. You emerge. Bubbly. Sparkly. Infectiously inspiring. The way you’ve always been. You just didn’t realise it yet.
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The content on this site is intended to inspire readers to live their life instead of someone else's, to ditch the burden of perfection and who they think they're supposed to be. The content on this site is intended to inspire readers to embrace their unique brilliance and share their brilliance with the world, to serve the world from that loving, abundant, creative place of possibility, so that in turn that world becomes a more loving, more abundant, more genuinely generous and compassionate place. The intent of this content and site is not to tell readers how they should live their life. Nor should it be used as a substitute for treatment by or advice of a professional therapist, counselor, psychiatrist or any similar professional caregiver. Any decisions taken by readers are their decisions and their decisions and responsibility only.
Awesome as usual An! As a recovering perfectionist, I am familiar with MANY of these phrases you’ve unearthed. I am still not totally comfortable with failure, but I am learning that failure isn’t the end of the project, it’s usually only halfway through :o)
“Failure isn’t the end of the project, it’s usually only halfway through.” Love. that. That’s such a brilliant perspective, Mindy! (So gonna tweet it 😉 )
Ah, yes! #16 is particularly vexing me right now, but I’ve said almost off of those (only to myself, of course!) at one time or another. So far I’m pushing through anyway, but I think I need an extra shove to get my momentum back from the “I’m fooling myself” drain.
You bring up such an interesting point, Joanna, that’s often so true for most of us: we say those things to ourselves, but would never ever say that to a friend that would be walking around with the same plans, ideas, dreams, … as we do. Instead so often we’d be encouraging and supportive. What would you say to a friend that would be exactly where you are today?
29, number 29…is there a 29 in the house?
Lots! You’re definitely not the only one!
Oh, the perfectionist. Amazing how my perfectionists voice sounds much like yours. And I’ve learned “everyone”??? WHO is everyone?? That has helped me tremendously quiet her little voice.
Yes, definitely. Plus, so what if “they” don’t like us? Some will not like us and what we do. And that’s cool. And others will love us and what we do. I looove that SWSWSWSW perspective: “Some will. Some won’t. So what? Someone’s waiting.”