The Perfectionism Project

If you're anything like me, you love finding out how successful people *actually* run their businesses.

What their office setup is like, how they structure their day, what they spend their time doing (and which tasks they don't let themselves do), how they manage their personal life and the things that didn't quite go to plan.

That's why this week's podcast episode on The Perfectionism Project is a chatty episode to take you behind the scenes of a productive week in my life.

If you've ever wondered what a 3-day work week looks like when you're running a $600k per year business - or wanted to hear about the practical things I do to 'balance' my business with being a mum of 3 little ones under 3 - this episode is for you.

I also share a few of the things I self-coached on, including something so embarrassing it makes me cringe and want to hide in a hole (that might sound dramatic but it's sadly 100% true)...

Plus I share something super simple I did to improve my morning routine (this works especially well on the days I'm sleep deprived). Click play to tune in today!

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode412.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How I structure my days so I can do deep work (even with constant interruptions)

• My biggest recommendation to create a more productive desk setup

• The practical things that help me plan out my week even though it's so uncertain

• What I coached myself on including something I'd rather not share…

• How I run my $600k business working 3 days a week and being a mum to 3 little ones

Featured In The Episode:

• Episode 407: 3 Unexpected Reasons Why My Latest Launch Completely Failed (PGSD Launch Debrief)

• Episode 408: My Growth Goal Quarterly Review For Quarter 2 2023 ($80,914 Revenue)

• Episode 81: How To Make The Most Of Self-Help Books

• The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

• The Break by Marian Keyes

• Principles by Ray Dalio

• The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

• Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

• Raising Girls Who Like Themselves by Kasey Edwards

• DIY Family Film's Course

• Michelle's Weeks - coaching to help mums with their mental load - @michelle.c.weeks

• Aditi - Human Design coaching - @mycoachaditi

• Miss Freddy's instagram - photo organising advice - @miss.freddy

• My favourite Montessori YouTube channel - Hapa Family

• Nick DiGiovanni's Youtube Video - Learn To Cook In Less Than 1 Hour

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

Announcement: PGSD will open for enrollment on 10 September 2023 (for one week only)

My 12-month group coaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) will teach you how to plan properly as a perfectionist and get out of your own way. The doors to PGSD will open on 10 September 2023 for one week only. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist today: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Your marketing strategy has a BIG impact on your ability to get shit done! And if you're feeling resistence and out of alignment with your marketing strategy it's going to be even harder to get shit done.

In the marketing world people are always talking about the power of consistency but there is often a piece in the middle that's missing… So in today's podcast episode I'm going to help you create an aligned marketing strategy so that you can actually show up consistently.

I may not call myself a marketing expert but I am somebody who helps you with productivity and getting shit done! Perfectionism leads us to want to do things the "right" way… This belief stems from the idea that by doing things the "correct" way, they will work instantly and effortlessly.

If you run a business you need to be marketing and selling and I want you to feel good about your marketing strategy! Tune into this episode now.

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode411.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How perfectionism affects your marketing strategy and what to do about it

• Examples of successful entrepreneurs reevaluating their businesses to find alignment

• Personal experiences with focusing on the wrong tasks and strategies

• Understanding the difference between good and not-so-good resistance

• Tips on staying true to your plan and avoiding distractions

• The power of Power Planning from PGSD

Featured In The Episode:

• Episode 407: 3 Unexpected Reasons Why My Latest Launch Completely Failed (PGSD Launch Debrief)

• Vanessa Lau instagram - @vanessalau.co

• Vanessa Lau's YouTube video: 5 Lessons I Learned in 2022…

• Vanessa Lau's blog post on why she went on sabbatical

• Aditi's instagram - @mycoachaditi

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

Announcement: PGSD will open for enrollment on 10 September 2023 (for one week only)

My 12-month group coaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) will teach you how to plan properly as a perfectionist and get out of your own way. The doors to PGSD will open on 10 September 2023 for one week only. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist today: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Maybe you find yourself spending too much time on tasks that might be important, but they aren't that important in terms of the amount of time that they are taking you.

Or maybe you've been prioritising the easy tasks over the stuff that you know really needs to get done.

If you're frustrated that tasks are taking way longer than they need to and you want to be more productive, you want to be organised, and yet you're struggling to get there - then this episode will help you!

Don't foret to mark your calendar! Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - my group coaching program for perfectionis entrepreneuers (PGSD) opens on 10 September 2023. And to celebrate PGSD opening I'm hosting a 5-Part Planning Podcast Series starting 1 September 2023.

Starting on the first of September, there's going to be an episode every other day. So make sure that you've subscribe to this podcast! Also join the PGSD waitlist to be notified first!

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode410.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• The 6 reasons you aren't productive

• How to consistently do the things that need to be done to build your business

• Why you push things off and what to do about it

• Why to-do lists and time blocking doesn't work for perfectionists

• What you can start doing today to be more productive

• The productivity tool that we forget is important

Featured In The Episode:

• Episode 308: A Step-By-Step Walkthrough of Power Planning

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

Announcement: PGSD will open for enrollment on 10 September 2023 (for one week only)

My 12-month group coaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) will teach you how to plan properly as a perfectionist and get out of your own way. The doors to PGSD will open on 10 September 2023 at 6am New York Time for one week only. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist today: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

We all have blindspots that we would never think to bring up to our 1:1 coach. But when we listen to others being coached, we can uncover hidden areas of our perfectionism and productivity that might have otherwise gone unnoticed, until it's too late. In this episode you'll hear Sam coach two PGSDer's.

First Sam coaches Shoipei who's was in a dip at the time of this coaching call. We all go through dips and slumps in our business, it's apart of the journey. It can be so easy to say "get comfortable with being uncomfortable" but when you're actually in the dip it's much harder to see it from an intellectual perspective. The dips can serve as one of the best teachers to help us let go of the self-judgment and shame that we carry within ourselves.

You'll be able to consider how you can structure your week as Sam coaches Samara. A lot of us are in a situation that is good and we are wanting to elevate to a new level. This actually takes a lot of courage to leave a good situation to create a great one.

It's easy to justify going from a horrible situation to a good one because no one wants to be in a horrible situation. The growth goal allows us to have a catalyst for change without needing to put ourselves in a desperate situation where it feels like we have our back against the wall in order to achieve. Tune in now to also hear Sam explain how to set your Growth Goal at the best level for you.

If you enjoyed this episode then join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode409

Note: Thank you Shoipei and Samara for giving me permission to share this call on the podcast. We appreciate you!

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How to set your Growth Goal at the best level for you

• The practical steps to get you out of a business slump

• How to get through business dips

• How to uncover the false associations your brain makes so that your not making your business harder for yourself

• Why your words and actions might not be landing with your audience

• How to stop resenting your full-time job

• How to Power Plan when you have a full-time job

• What to do when you feel like you have no time to do what you need to do

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

It's uncommon to hear detailed information about the breakdown of expenses in businesses. I hope by me openly sharing the numbers and providing insight into my business on a quarterly basis, it helps you to be growth minded and to not have your perfectionism handbrake on.

And it's especially uncommon to hear a detailed breakdown when the quarter didn't go to plan. We made $80,914 in revenue but after expenses we actually had a significant loss in Q2, 2023.

It's so easy to interpret things that happen in our business in a way that makes us feel inadequate or incompetent. We can be in a habit of dismissing what is working and complicate things so that we can feel busy and deserving.

I'm excited for you to listen to this episode because you'll hear how I interpreted Q2's financial loss without attaching any negative meaning to it and making it mean anything about myself and my abilities.

I've made significant progress with my perfectionism so I'm wanting to share these insights with you incase you've been feeling behind, thinking you should have everything figured out by now and always be succeeding.

Our brains can convince us that the best way to create success is to put pressure on ourselves. Personally, I used to believe that if I didn't put pressure on myself, I would be settling for less than what I'm capable of achieving.

However, the pain I experienced during my last launch of Q2 made me realise the detrimental effects of putting pressure on myself. In hindsight I can see that I was spending too much time doing things that essentially was busy work and sacrificed valuable time with my family. This has caused me to look at whats going on and notice where my mind was at so that I can make the changes in order to feel how I want to in my day to day life and create the kind of business I want.

In hindsight, how much pressure have you been putting on yourself?

By listening to this episode, you'll gain valuable insights into reframing your mindset and approaching challenging situations with resilience and self-compassion. It's an opportunity to shift your perspective and embrace a growth mindset, regardless of external circumstances.

I hope by hearing me sharing the numbers, how I'm interpreting them, why it's not a problem that we had a loss this quarter and why it doesn't mean anything about me it can help release any weight you might have had on your shoulders.

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode408.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How I interpret and handle financial losses in my business

• How putting pressure on myself had a ripple effect on the decisions I made and the end outcome financially of our Q2 results.

• How my self-image shapes my commitment to my growth goal, even when things don't go to plan

• How to choose what energy you want to work from

• What to do when you feel like you should be further along

• The new approach I'm taking to build my business without unnecessary pressure

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

• Episode 407: 3 Unexpected Reasons Why My Latest Launch Completely Failed (PGSD Launch Debrief)

• Episode 393: My Growth Goal Quarterly Review For Q1 2023

• Episode 379: My Growth Goal Quarterly Review For Q4 2022

The entrepreneurship space can be so glamorised, we hear alot about people doubling their business year after year and that can leave us feeling behind if we aren't experiencing that trajectory of growth.

I enjoy being very open and sharing what most people aren't willing to share and this episode is no different. I take you behind the scenes of our most recent launch sharing the 3 unexpected reasons why this launch completely failed and all of the launch numbers.

Regardless of the type of business you have, this episode is relevant for you because at some point, no matter what guidance you're receiving, if you're putting yourself out there and trying new things, you will face failure.

It's important to know how to approach failure and be emotionally regulated in those moments so that you don't make the failure mean something about you and then repeat the same mistakes because you were too ashamed to actually take a look objectively at what went on, in a really compassionate way.

Failure doesn't make you a failure. It doesn't mean you don't know how to run a business. Look at all the big startups – they often don't break even for years. Even though we intellectually understand this, if your launches feel like a rollercoaster, you might be attaching your self-worth to the outcomes.

I love hearing podcasts like this because it's the real stuff and everyone goes through it so I hope you enjoy listening to the episode!

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode407.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• The 3 unexpected reasons why the most recent launch of PGSD failed

• Behind-the-scenes of our launch numbers

• What to do when you experience failure

• The clues my calendar gave me that I only realised after the launch

• How I'll make sure that we never repeat the same mistakes again

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

• Episode 379: My Growth Goal Quarterly Review For Q4 2022

• Episode 316: Behind The Scenes Of A $250k Launch (Part 1: Pre-Launch Period)

• Episode 317: Behind The Scenes Of A $250k Launch (Part 2: Launch Period)

I recently sent out a Perfectionist Power-Up that resonated with a lot of my email subscribers. It said: "Maybe your follow through problem is actually a planning problem". So I wanted to record an episode to help you figure out whether this is what's going on for you.

There are a lot of things we can do to help us follow through with our plans consistently. I share many of them on this podcast! But first it's incredibly important to look at the plans you're trying to follow through on. Are they making your perfectionist mindset work for you or against you? Are your plans setting you up for success or are they setting you up for failure? I dive into this and more in the episode.

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode406.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• The hidden reason perfectionists struggle to follow through with their plans

• Why motivation and willpower aren't the answers to your follow through problem

• The most important thing you need to know about struggling to follow through

• The simple changes to make to your planning process that will set you up for success

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Take the perfectionism quiz: samlaurabrown.com/quiz

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

While perfectionists want everything in their lives to be perfectly organised, the irony is that they actually stop themselves from creating this reality - without even realising it! And one of the reasons they do this is because of their secret addiction to feeling behind.

Most perfectionists would swear that they don't want to feel behind, so it can be confronting to realise that you might be manufacturing behindness (if that's a word!) in your life. In this episode I'm talking about why we do this, 2 signs that you're secretly addicted to chaos and what to do about it.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why perfectionists can become addicted to feeling behind

• The sneaky ways perfectionists make themselves feel more behind

• The real reason you never feel completely organised

• How feeling behind is secretly serving you

• Two ways that the addiction to feeling behind manifests for perfectionists

• How to stop being addicted to feeling behind

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

In this episode I'm interviewing Kristen Cain, a style coach and committed PGSDer, on all things perfectionism and Power Planning.

Kristen heard me talking about PGSD on this podcast for an entire year before she signed up.

Kristen listened diligently to every episode, worked hard to apply what she learned to her business and started to make progress with her perfectionism handbrake.

If anyone was going to change their life with the help of the podcast, it was Kristen.

During that year as a podcast listener she rebranded her business, created a new website, started offering mini styling packages and began showing up on instagram more often (though she still ghosted her followers from time to time).

But in Kristen's words, she was in a familiar place for perfectionists: "I was doing all the pretty, fun things so that I didn't have to do the scary stuff that would actually help me be successful".

Here's what happened once she joined…

Within 3 months of being inside PGSD, Kristen was planning properly as a perfectionist:

✔ Kristen had a clear goal that gave her direction, clarity and focus

✔ She created pricing that she felt confident in AND got her styling clients better results

✔ She started signing styling clients with her new packages and pricing

✔ And she made her investment back

Within 6 months of being inside PGSD, Kristen was having her most successful year in business (ever).

She was consistently uploading videos to her YouTube channel every week, sending her weekly newsletter without fail, confidently promoting her services and was even approached by a random person at the grocery store who'd been loving her IG lives.

And 1 year after joining PGSD, Kristen is signing $2,000 styling clients directly from her YouTube videos.

This is something she never thought would be possible for her.

This kind of growth is possible for you to…

To build your business to $100k you need to get out of your own way. And anyone can learn how inside PGSD.

If you resonate with what Kristen and I talk about in this episode - and what I talk about on this podcast - and you're ready to get out of your own way then I invite you to join us inside PGSD.

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode404.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• What 'getting in your own way' looked like for Kristen

• The reason Kristen signed up for PGSD even though she 'couldn't afford it'

• Where perfectionism work fits in when it comes to building your business

• Why Kristen felt overwhelmed when she first started Power Planning

• The difference between listening to this podcast and being in PGSD

Featured In The Episode:

• Sign up for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Book a sales call - calendly.com/pgsd/call

• Kristen's instagram: @kristencainstyle

• Kristen's website: kristencainstyle.com

• Kristen getting coached - Episode 280 of The Perfectionism Project

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

Announcement: PGSD is open for enrollment for one week only

If you feel behind on your $100k goal, it's just because nobody's taught you the different productivity rules that apply to perfectionists.

To make $100k you need to work smarter, not harder. And to do that you need to get your perfectionist mindset on your side.

If your week is filled with lost time even though you're always busy working, it's time to take control of your productivity. The process for getting out of your own way is simple - plan properly as a perfectionist, get into a growth mindset and release your perfectionism handbrake. And it's easy when you know how!

My group coaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) is designed to get perfectionist entrepreneurs to $100k. Inside you'll get the coaching and productivity tools that address your perfectionism head on so you can create sustainable, long-term productivity - and build your business to $100k and beyond.

The doors to PGSD are now officially open for one week only. To find out more about the program and sign up before the doors close at 11:59pm New York Time on 18 June, click here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

In today's episode, I interview PGSDer Jenn Baswick all about her Growth Goal and experience inside PGSD.

Our most successful PGSDers are business owners who LOVE being productive and yet find themselves struggling to make the most of their time due to their perfectionism handbrake.

And this was definitely the case for Jenn.

Jenn is a registered dietitian and before she signed up for PGSD in December 2022, she'd tried everything she could to build her business.

She invested in business programs to help her setup her business correctly and market it the right way plus she tried every productivity tool from to-do lists to time blocking to Asana to Notion.

And yet her business still wasn't growing in the way she knew it could…

Even though Jenn 'knew' what she needed to do, she wasn't able to turn her knowledge into business growth - even though she was always busy working.

In today's episode of The Perfectionism Project, you'll hear from Jenn and I discuss…

✔ The hidden reason why to-do lists, time blocking, asana and notion didn't work for Jenn

✔ All the ways releasing her perfectionism handbrake has made Jenn more productive

✔ When Jenn realised that releasing her perfectionism handbrake was a must for her business

Jenn also shares how PGSD helped her make double her revenue goal - all while navigating the transition from offering 1:1 services to a group program.

Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode403.

P.S. I know how scary it can feel to set a Growth Goal and go all-in on your business. 2018 was the year I got sick of getting in my own way and decided I needed to either go all-in or quit (and I was never going to quit). So I want you to know that inside PGSD you will be fully supported in setting your Growth Goal and showing up consistently for your business without burning out.

PGSD doors are currently open for the FIRST time this year - and close on 18 June at 11:59 New York Time

Featured In The Episode:

• Sign up for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd

• Book a sales call - calendly.com/pgsd/call

• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

• Jenn's website: https://theintuitivenutritionist.com

• Jenn's podcast: Intuitively You https://theintuitivenutritionist.com/podcast/

• Jenn's Free Quiz: Why Do You Binge Eat? https://theintuitivenutritionist.com/quiz

• Jenn's instagram: https://instagram.com/the.intuitive.nutritionist

Announcement: PGSD is open for enrollment for one week only

If you feel behind on your $100k goal, it's just because nobody's taught you the different productivity rules that apply to perfectionists.

To make $100k you need to work smarter, not harder. And to do that you need to get your perfectionist mindset on your side.

If your week is filled with lost time even though you're always busy working, it's time to take control of your productivity. The process for getting out of your own way is simple - plan properly as a perfectionist, get into a growth mindset and release your perfectionism handbrake. And it's easy when you know how!

My group coaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (aka PGSD) is designed to get perfectionist entrepreneurs to $100k. Inside you'll get the coaching and productivity tools that address your perfectionism head on so you can create sustainable, long-term productivity - and build your business to $100k and beyond.

The doors to PGSD are now officially open for one week only. To find out more about the program and sign up before the doors close at 11:59pm New York Time on 18 June, click here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.