Season 4, Episode 6 | "Do you wanna look perfect or be perfect?"

This episode of Strong & Awake challenges the notion of perfectionism and its impact on personal growth. Mitch and Dane explore how the pursuit of perfection often becomes a barrier, preventing us from taking action and learning from our experiences. They discuss the importance of embracing wholeheartedness—bringing your full self to every endeavor, even when failure is a possibility. By sharing personal stories and community practices, they highlight the value of vulnerability, accountability, and authenticity in overcoming perfectionism. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own lives, encouraging them to tell truer stories and pursue growth through voluntary discomfort.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 02:27 Perfectionism as a Thief
• 06:44 The Myth of Being Perfect
• 09:22 Living Wholeheartedly
• 16:40 The Vanity of Perfectionism
• 19:04 Keeping Commitments to Yourself
• 24:57 Humility and Honest Storytelling
• 32:00 Closing & Invitation

Mentions:

• Carol Dweck - Known for her work on mindset, particularly the concepts of "fixed mindset" and "growth mindset."
• Gregory Benedict - Mentioned in relation to a TEDx talk and helping a world record setting weightlifter.
• Steph Curry - Professional basketball player, often cited as the greatest shooter in NBA history.
• TEDx - A program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.
• Turkish Getup - A complex exercise typically done with a kettlebell, mentioned here being performed with a barbell.

Anchor Actions:

1. Reframe Your Stories: In the next 24 hours, identify a moment where you told a story to justify breaking a commitment. Approach the person involved and share a more honest account of what happened. This practice not only builds integrity but also moves you closer to wholehearted living.
2. Quarterly Self-Assessment: Schedule a quarterly review of your life. Reflect on whether your actions are aligned with trying to appear perfect or being genuinely committed. Plan the next 90 days to focus on projects and practices that move you towards authenticity rather than maintaining an image.
3. Embrace Community: Engage with a community that encourages you to account for your actions. Whether through formal check-ins or informal conversations, use these interactions to hear your own justifications and recalibrate towards genuine commitments.

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Disclaimer:

The information shared on this podcast and any related materials from Men & Women Of Discomfort (MWOD) or Flying S Incorporated are for general informational purposes only. You should not use this information as a basis for making decisions without consulting your own medical and legal professionals. We aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, but we make no guarantees about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or comprehensiveness of the content.

At Men & Women Of Discomfort, we promote agency and encourage you to carefully consider the input we offer. If you find it helpful, we invite you to take advantage of it, but do so with the understanding that you bear the responsibility of due diligence. By using our content, you acknowledge that you are taking opportunities at your own risk. Thank you for understanding.

*Transcript Note: The transcript of our podcast is AI-generated and may contain errors. We aim for accuracy but appreciate your understanding and feedback on any discrepancies.

Copyright 2025 Men & Women Of Discomfort (MWOD.io)

Mentioned in this episode:

Sponsor: Never Settle

Never Settle is the creative tech and marketing agency that has been MWOD's creative partner— helping with branding, designing our website, and various growth marketing projects. When we started MWOD, we knew we had something that could help a lot of people, but communicating and enrolling people online to build their life around voluntary discomfort is a tough sell. We needed a partner who could understand what we were really doing and help translate that into an online presence that moved people. Never Settle is that partner. They took our vision and made it clear. No small feat for an organization promoting the one thing nobody wants to do. They’re genius.

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