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Perfectionism Isn't the Problem - But This Is

With Byron McCaughey · 17 September 2025

Perfectionism gets a bad rap, but it's not always the enemy. In fact, attention to detail can be a major strength - until it starts costing you time, money, and momentum. In this short video, psychologist Byron McCaughey breaks down when perfectionism helps and when it hinders performance. He introduces the idea of a "threshold for shipping" - whether it's a product, pitch deck, or post - and explains how fears and doubts can push us beyond that line, into the red zone of diminishing returns. Essential viewing for entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals who want to maintain high standards without getting stuck.

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Transcript

Perfectionism. It's come up a lot lately. So, a quick word on it.

It's not necessarily a bad thing. Attention to detail can be a great asset to you and your business. But here's a scenario where it can cause problems.

If this is the threshold for shipping something - could be a presentation, could be a product feature, could be a LinkedIn video - and you reach that threshold, but you don't ship it. You keep working on it. You keep going. That red zone is where perfectionism, or the anxiety that drives it, can have a cost. Cost of time, cost of money, cost of bandwidth.

Try and do two things. Be aware of where the threshold is for a given task. And then be aware of the thoughts that might be pushing you past that - fears, worries, what are people going to think? What happens if it doesn't go well? Be aware of those.

And in doing so, you'll be more likely to ship things where that threshold is, get things out a little bit quicker, and avoid some of the costs of going into the red zone.

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