The Perfectionism Project

In this episode I’m sharing some of the biggest productivity mistakes I made over the course of my business. Not only do I share mistakes I made in the past, but also some that I just realised I’m currently making in my business. This is the 10th year since I started my business initially as a blog, and I made a lot of productivity mistakes along the way. And looking back, perfectionism was often the cause of these mistakes. I hope chatting about them with you today will help you see where you could be improving your productivity, particularly if you’re making the same mistakes that I made. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode394. In This Episode You’ll Learn: 12 of the biggest productivity mistakes I made in my business The surprising way I’ve been misusing my time the most How putting pressure on yourself can hinder your productivity The importance of the skill of seeing when your work is complete Why Power Planning is planning in a way that works for you   Featured In The Episode: Episode 336: Getting Your Work Done Early + Easily (Part 1: Content Creation) Episode 337: Getting Your Work Done Early + Easily (Part 2: Pre-Launch Period) Episode 338: Getting Your Work Done Early + Easily (Part 3: Launch Period) Episode 160: How To Be More Productive When Working From Home Episode 381: How I Found The Courage To Create A Bigger Vision For My Business Episode 393: My Growth Goal Quarterly Review For Q1 2023 Kristen’s youtube: @KristenCainStyle 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

Today’s episode is my first Growth Goal update for 2023. I share the Growth Goal I chose to set (and whether we hit our Q1 milestone), as well as how having twins impacted our business growth last quarter. Power Planning helped me figure out what my real needle movers were in the 13 workdays I had in Q1, so that the work I was putting into my business will truly pay off. I also chat about how my role as a leader has shifted this quarter, along with what I’m working on to develop the skills I need to achieve my Growth Goal. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode393. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Our Growth Goal for 2023 and whether we achieved our Q1 milestone How having twins (and 3 kids under 2) has impacted the growth of the business How to know whether the work you’re putting into your business will pay off What my role in the business looks like now that we have a marketing manager The professional development I’m doing and programs I’m currently in   Featured In The Episode: Episode 379: My Growth Goal Quarterly Review For Q4 2022 Episode 381: How I Found The Courage To Create A Bigger Vision For My Business Episode 385: Creating The Feeling Of Completeness Even When Everything Isn't Done Kris Plachy’s podcast: Leadership is Feminine Brooke Castillo’s podcast: The Life Coach School Podcast Stacey Boehman’s podcast: Make Money As A Life Coach 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

“I don’t know if I should keep doing what I’m doing OR is now actually the right time to be doing something different?” This is a question we perfectionist business owners often ask ourselves, no matter what stage our business is at. How do we know if we should persist with the business strategy we’ve chosen or if we should make changes instead? Using superthinking can help you figure out the answer for yourself so you can keep growing your business! If you’ve listened to other episodes on my podcast, you might have heard me mention superthinking. Essentially superthinking is coming up with a hypothesis to solve a business problem, trusting that hypothesis, then coming up with a way to test and measure it. You then take the results of your superthinking and take action in your business. This is a way for you to lean into your own wisdom as you build your business. It’s something we all do at some level, but it’s often easier for our brains to think the same thoughts of ‘I’m feeling stuck’ or ‘I’m feeling behind’ and coast along. I go into more detail about superthinking, as well as how to use it to figure out your next steps, as I coach PGSDer Kristen (@kristencainstyle on Instagram) in this episode. I also share what was coming up for me in my business at that time and give you a reframe to uplevel your superthinking and how you’re showing up for your business. If you can’t seem to figure out what to do to grow your business, this episode is for you. Note: Thank you Kristen for giving me permission to share this call on the podcast, I appreciate you! Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode391. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Getting into self-trust mode and how it helps you show up for your business What to focus on when assessing how much you believe in your goals How to use superthinking to figure out the next steps to building your business Why it’s normal to feel resistance to superthinking Why it’s easier to take coaching on board when you’re listening to others get coached   Featured In The Episode: Kristen’s youtube: @KristenCainStyle Kristen’s instagram: @kristencainstyle Kristen’s website: kristencainstyle.com Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning Join the waitlist for Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) - samlaurabrown.com/pgsd Sign up for daily Perfectionist Power-Ups - samlaurabrown.com/power

Before Power Planning, I often got in my own way in my business. I worked in stops and starts, I waited until the last minute to get the most important things done, I kept burning myself out from all the pressure I put on myself and I had countless planners that I abandoned after three weeks of filling them out perfectly. Then I came to realise (1) I’m a perfectionist and (2) being a perfectionist meant I couldn’t follow the same planning advice as everyone else. And that’s when everything started clicking into place… I was already good at planning - I just needed to figure out how to plan in a way that got my perfectionist mindset on my side so I could do all the things I needed to do… When I created what I now call Power Planning, 90% of the problems I was having with procrastination, overthinking and burnout just dissolved. Once I learned how to plan in a way that got my perfectionist mindset working FOR me (instead of against me), I woke up each morning feeling clear on exactly what I needed to do and went to bed feeling productive and accomplished. Instead of losing time every day to overthinking and busywork, I was getting shit done consistently and sustainably. I was finally acting like the CEO I’d always wanted to be. And my revenue couldn’t help but reflect that… The fact that Power Planning meant I was having a productive week, every week, took my business from $100k per year to $100k MONTHS. All while working less hours than I ever had before. And I know for sure that if I had Power Planning from the beginning of my business it wouldn’t have taken me so long (6 years!) to make my first $100,000. I share about this evolution in more detail - and how this led to creating The Power Planning Course - in today’s episode. We especially wanted to share this episode because at the time of releasing this, this will be your last chance to join The Power Planning Course before it closes! The Power Planning Course is closing on 16 April at 11:59 New York Time. The Power Planning Course will be closing and will only be available inside of Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD) my Group Coaching Program (doors re-open 12 June 2023). By the way… If you join The Power Planning Course now and decide to join PGSD one day in the future, you’ll also receive $500 USD off PGSD. So if you've thinking about joining The Power Planning Course, don't miss out on this LAST opportunity to join while you still can! Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode391. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Sam’s evolution as she grew her business with Power Planning How Power Planning made all the difference in Sam’s business How Power Planning helps you get out of inaction and worrying what other people think of you What’s included in The Power Planning Course The Power Planning Course will only be available in PGSD after 16 April 2023   Featured In The Episode: Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning (closing on 16 April 2023 at 11:59pm New York Time) 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

Long-time podcast listeners will have heard me mention Daisy, my community and operations manager, when I’ve chatted about my business. In this episode you’ll hear from Daisy about how my team and I run things behind the scenes, including the decisions and questions that have come up in the process of growing my business. You’ll also hear about Daisy’s journey to working with her perfectionism mindset since she joined PGSD in 2019. Daisy went from getting in her own way to following through with her plans with the help of PGSD. By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how my team creates processes to scale my business, how we support our clients, and Daisy’s #1 tip so you can begin working on your perfectionist mindset. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode390. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Daisy’s honest experience with letting go of her perfectionism handbrake in PGSD Why the support inside PGSD helps perfectionist entrepreneurs grow How my community manager supports our customers behind the scenes Daisy’s #1 tip to begin working with your perfectionist mindset right now How to create processes to scale your business Why leaning into your own wisdom is important in business (even when it goes against popular business advice)   Featured In The Episode: Episode 380: 5 Perfectionist Beliefs I Had To Release In Order To Build My Team Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning 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

The question of how to stop overthinking is one that all perfectionists face. So in this episode, I’m sharing the real reasons we overthink and practical tips to help you stop doing it - even with the big decisions. This is some of my best advice on how to stop overthinking, learned from years of my own struggles. By the end of the episode, you’ll know about why you seem to overthink everything, and how to stop it and boost your self-confidence. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode389. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The real reasons you can’t stop overthinking Why perfectionists overthink everything Why creating more will help you to overthink less How to stop overthinking a big decision Practical tips to help you stop overthinking   Featured In The Episode: Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning 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 still get questions about a popular interview I did with Kathrin Zenkina of The Manifestation Babe Podcast in 2020. And since this is also one of my favourite interviews and still so relevant today, we wanted to make sure you got to hear it on this episode of The Perfectionism Project. Kathrin is a world renowned master manifestation and mindset coach. She is a #1-Amazon-Best-Selling author, host of the Top-10 Podcast: The Manifestation Babe Podcast, powerhouse expert in the art of manifestation, and founder of the globally recognized personal development brand - Manifestation Babe® - which has grown into a $17M+ company in just 6 years. I know you’re going to appreciate the conversation we had about overcoming procrastination and perfectionism. Tune in to understand what perfectionism and the all-or-nothing mindset is, the true cause of perfectionism and how to finally become a non-procrastinator for good. If you’re someone who’s been feeling stuck and getting in your own way, this episode is for you. Note: Thank you Kathrin for giving me permission to share this interview on the podcast. We appreciate you! Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode388. In This Episode You’ll Learn: What perfectionism is and where it comes from The difference between a fixed and growth mindset Why perfectionists overthink How to change your identity to align with being a non-procrastinator How to break through feeling guilt when resting   Featured In The Episode: The Manifestation Babe Podcast: (#131) I’m A Perfectionist and I’m Finally Admitting It Kathrin’s Instagram account: @manifestationbabe Kathrin’s website: manifestationbabe.com Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning 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  

Procrasti-working is when we work on our business as a form of procrastination. And if you do it, you’re not alone. Perfectionist entrepreneurs don’t procrastinate in the same ways as everyone else. Instead of avoiding work, we procrasti-work. This can look like scrambling to get all of your content created each week, moving sales tasks from one to-do list to the next or eating lunch at your desk while procrasti-learning something about marketing. This episode will teach you about the 3 types of procrasti-working. By the end of the episode, you’ll know how to spot procrasti-working and my proven process for cutting it in half. Plus you’ll learn why procrasti-working is a normal part of building a successful business (I still do it) and why zero procrastination is not the goal.  In this episode I dissect procrastination advice from some of the top ranked articles on google and explain why this advice doesn’t work for perfectionists. The episode is worth listening to for this alone. All you need to do is hit play… Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode387. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The difference between working and procrasti-working The hidden reasons that perfectionists procrasti-work What happens when we cut our procrasti-working in half Why common procrastination advice doesn’t work for perfectionists The 3 types of procrasti-working and how to tell whether you’re doing them   Featured In The Episode: Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning 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

Today I’m sharing an important episode to remind you that showing up imperfectly is exactly what would serve others and make an impact in the way you want to. This is a pep talk that gives you permission to share who you really are with your clients, your followers and your team. You don’t need to pressure yourself to spend extra time making things perfect in order to serve them. If you ever feel like you’re not ‘perfect’ enough to help or inspire others, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to discover 5 reasons the world needs imperfect leaders like you - and why you don’t have to have everything ‘figured out’ before you can. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode386. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How being perfect actually stops you from helping and inspiring others Why it’s so important to lead by example and how to do it Why you should share your message, even when others are sharing it too The power of imperfect leadership and why it works What to do if you feel like you’re not ‘good enough’ to lead others   Featured In The Episode: Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning 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 Episode 378, I talked about when following through with the plans we’ve made with ourselves can be an act of self-care - particularly when you have anything going on in your life that’s making operating at your normal capacity a challenge. Today’s episode continues that conversation, and I talk about when you determine that productivity is *not* an act of self-care and how you can create a sense of completeness even when everything isn’t done. Tune in to hear what that can look like for you. Sometimes productivity is an act of self-care and sometimes it isn’t. And I found the second was the case for me a couple of days before I took time off from my business. At that time, I had work I really wanted to do but hadn’t finished and I’d need to work more days than I’d planned to get everything done. I walk you through the experience I had solving this, including the questions I asked myself and the breakthroughs I had. By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how you can feel like you can switch off from work (whether that’s the end of a workday or right before a longer break) - even when the plans you had set for yourself weren’t complete. You’ll learn about developing the ability to say when enough is enough, and how to make that decision in an empowering way. Find the full episode transcript and show notes at samlaurabrown.com/episode385. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Making the distinction between putting off and deliberately moving a task The questions I worked through to create a feeling of completeness for myself Why creating a feeling of completeness WON’T make you less productive Why we pressure ourselves to finish things and where that inclination comes from How to set boundaries on your work in an empowering way   Featured In The Episode: Episode 378: How To Determine When Productivity Is An Act of Self-Care + When It's Not Sign up for The Power Planning Course - samlaurabrown.com/powerplanning 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