The Perfectionism Project

I've learned more lessons from Brené Brown about perfectionism than I can count. And I largely have Brené to thank for the progress I've made when it comes to the progress I've made with perfectionism. So I thought there would be no better time than now to share 5 life-changing lessons about perfectionism from Brené Brown.

Tune in to hear about the huge breakthrough that Brené Brown helped me to achieve and learn why perfectionism actually hampers achievement, how perfectionism protects us from vulnerability, why perfectionism is not self-improvement, the connection between perfectionism and shame as well as why it's so important to dare greatly. I hope you enjoy this episode full of life-changing lessons about perfectionism from Brené Brown.

Note: This episode originally aired in November 2019 as Episode 158.

To view the show notes visit samlaurabrown.com/episode354.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• The life-changing breakthrough that Brené Brown helped me to achieve
• How perfectionism differs to healthy striving
• Why perfectionism hampers success
• The 3 tools we have in our 'vulnerability arsenal'
• The difference between perfectionism and self-improvement
• Why perfectionism is actually a form of shame
• The reason that daring greatly is the key to overcoming perfectionism

PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd
• Learn the basics of Power Planning – samlaurabrown.com/planningseries
• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power
• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject
• Episode 342: How To Plan Properly As A Perfectionist With Power Planning (full transcript available here)

It's tempting to look at others in our industry to see if we're doing things the right way, especially when others are more successful than us. We might look at what others are doing to decide what we plan to do in our business.

There are times when following others' advice makes sense, yet there are also times when following our own intuition is better. In today's episode, I want to talk to you about when to do things your own way, why it's safe to do so and how to productively compare yourself to others in your industry.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why it's safe to trust your business instincts, even if others are more successful than you
• When to follow others' advice and teachings versus when to follow your intuition
• How to productively compare yourself to experts and others in your industry

PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd
• Learn the basics of Power Planning – samlaurabrown.com/planningseries
• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power
• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

As perfectionists, we want our marketing to be perfect before we release it into the world. But the truth is that our best marketing for our clients won't feel perfect to us. In this episode I share with you why this is the case and how imperfect marketing has helped me grow my business.

Tune in to learn why imperfect marketing works, and how your marketing can feel easy and intentional.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why your best marketing won't feel perfect to you
• What your customers and clients are thinking about when deciding to buy
• How I've made over $1M over the lifetime of my business with imperfect marketing

PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd
• Learn the basics of Power Planning – samlaurabrown.com/planningseries
• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power
• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

In this episode I'm interviewing Lou Niestadt on how to enjoy the journey to your goals.

Lou is a writer, mama, entrepreneur and human design expert better known as Mrs. Universe. She loves to experiment with the Universal Laws and believes that if we make joy our job, everything we dream of in life will come to us naturally.

I know you're going to appreciate Lou's expertise and wisdom as we talk about pursuing the goals you truly want to pursue, the lessons Lou has learned through manifestation, and how to be unattached from your goal while still pursuing it fully.

Everything we talk about will help you learn to enjoy the journey of building your business.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How to check whether your goals are ones you truly want to pursue
• The manifestation experiment Lou did and her biggest lessons from it
• Lou's journaling practice that helps her enjoy the journey and connect with her feelings
• How to enjoy the journey of building your business
• How to be unattached from your goal whilst still pursuing it fully

PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Lou Niestadt's podcast - In The Pocket Podcast - louniestadt.com/podcast
• Lou Niestadt's website - louniestadt.com
• Lou Niestadt's instagram - @lou.niestadtbytruecolors
• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd
• Learn the basics of Power Planning – samlaurabrown.com/planningseries
• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power
• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

Perfectionists often struggle with life admin tasks. There always seems to be something to clean, fix or take care of in our day-to-day lives - tasks that won't take too long to do individually, but seem never-ending.

If you feel like your life admin tasks are never-ending loose ends, this episode is going to help!

I share about my experiences around feeling behind on my life admin, discovering I was using my life admin loose ends against myself, and the specific changes I'm making to my Power Planning and clean rest to address it.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• What to do if you always feel like you're scrambling to get things done
• What hasn't been working with my Power Planning and changes I'm making
• How to tell if you're using your life admin loose ends against yourself
• How to get your life admin done without being dramatic about it
• Why it helped me to take two days off without any business or life admin

PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd
• Learn the basics of Power Planning – samlaurabrown.com/planning
• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power
• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

In this episode I want to talk to you about why it's ok to say no to a business opportunity (especially when you've already said yes). Saying no can feel awkward for perfectionist business owners - we often think we need to follow through with an opportunity that isn't a good fit because we already said yes.

But there are times when an opportunity isn't right for you and your stage of business. When that happens, your growth will come from clearly saying no.

And you can do it without being rude and without drama.

Tune in to learn how to discern if a business opportunity is a good fit for you and practical advice on saying no without being rude. I also share helpful examples of times I've said no after saying yes in my business (and why I made that decision).

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why it's ok to say no to an opportunity or request after you've already said yes
• How to say no without being rude
• How to discern whether your growth is saying no or continuing to be a yes
• Times in my business where I've said no after saying yes and why I did it

PGSD is opening to new students on 26 October 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you getting out of your own way in your business and planning properly as a perfectionist. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 26 October and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 1 November 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd
• Learn the basics of Power Planning – samlaurabrown.com/planning
• Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power
• Follow me on Instagram @perfectionismproject

I first experimented with clean rest in the summer of 2014 (even though I didn't have a name for it at the time).

I returned to clean rest in 2018 because I knew things had to change. I was tired of burning out every time I had a major promotion or launch going on.

Now, clean rest is the backbone of my business and its success.

Clean rest is what grounds me AND gives me the courage to put myself - and my ideas - out into the world (even when they're not perfect).

And it's the reason I haven't burned out in more than 3 years (even though I'm now making more money than I ever have).

So far, this series has shared what clean rest is and why it's essential for perfectionists, why working from a to-do list means you get less clean rest, practical advice to help you plan out and honour your clean rest, and what counts (and doesn't count) as clean rest.

In the final episode, I talk about how my journey with clean rest has evolved and what I personally like to get up to in my time off.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How I discovered clean rest in 2014
• How clean rest helped me stopped burning out after busy seasons
• How my clean rest has evolved to become the backbone of my business' success
• What clean rest looks like for me (especially now that I'm a mum)

PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 27 July and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 2 August 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

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

There's something that every perfectionist needs to know about clean rest: Clean rest that doesn't feel restorative is STILL clean rest.

Sometimes clean rest will have you feeling energised, recharged, peaceful, present and inspired.

Other times you'll feel bored and restless.

And that's ok because feeling 'good' isn't what defines time off your business as clean rest.

And because you're a human being (we're not designed to feel happy 24/7).

Learning to have your own back, regardless of whether you feel good or not, will always be an important part of your clean rest practice.

This is why it's so important to let yourself rest regardless of how you feel AND to not make it mean anything if it doesn't always feel perfect to you.

I go into more detail as to why this is the case, as well as what counts as clean rest versus what doesn't, as I coach PGSDer Jenna in this episode.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• A deeper understanding of what it really means to get clean rest
• What counts as clean rest versus what doesn't
• Why it's important to let yourself rest (even if it doesn't feel perfect)
• How getting clean rest helps you work towards your business goals consistently

PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 27 July and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 2 August 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

Featured In The Episode:

• Jenna's instagram - @emotakwip
• Jenna's instagram - @quevivavulnerability
• 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 the previous episode of my clean rest series, I talked about how working from a to-do list makes it hard to get clean rest.

So what should you do instead?

Where does clean rest go in your calendar and how much of it do you need?

And how do you rest when you've planned, so you honour your rest?

I answer these questions and give you practical advice in today's episode. If you're wondering how to plan out your clean rest properly each week, listen in.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• How to plan out your clean rest properly each week
• Where clean rest is scheduled in your calendar
• How much clean rest you need
• How to honour your clean rest

PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 27 July and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 2 August 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

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

We perfectionists LOVE a good to-do list…

But working from a to-do list makes it really challenging to get enough clean rest - even if you're making a real effort to have more work-life balance.

And I share the five reasons why - and helpful examples for each reason - in this second episode of my clean rest series.

If you only get a break from your business when you're busy recovering from burnout, this clean rest series - and today's episode in particular - is going to be insanely helpful.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why there's never any time for rest when you work from a to-do list
• Why you get less done with a to-do list versus when you plan properly
• Why you feel behind when you work from a to-do list
• How working from a to-do list makes it hard to trust yourself to be consistent

PGSD is opening to new students on 27 July 2022:

The PGSD Process will have you planning properly as a perfectionist and getting out of your own way in your business. The doors to Perfectionists Getting Shit Done will be opening at 6am New York time on 27 July and closing at 11:59pm New York time on 2 August 2022. To find out more about the program and be the first to know when the doors open, join the waitlist here: samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.

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