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There are two kinds of perfectionists.
Published 3 months ago • 4 min read
MADE WITH LOVE & GUTS BY
🎉 NEW YEAR'S EDITION
Back in October, I kicked off a somewhat unexpected and completely life-altering journey by enrolling in yoga teacher training.
So far, it’s been humbling, joyful, and revelatory in every way. And I gotta say, it’s been a much-needed counterbalance to—and perspective shift from—my routines and thought patterns of late.
As Semisonic’s “Closing Time” plays on 2024, one of the many things I’m meditating on with this renewed, ever-evolving outlook is the idea and pursuit of perfectionism.
But maybe not in the way you think.
See, I think there are actually two kinds of perfectionists: There are rigid perfectionists, and then there are resilient perfectionists.
Rigid perfectionism can play out a couple of different ways. Take yoga, for example. If a rigid perfectionist isn’t particularly flexible and balanced right out of the gate, they might easily become frustrated and beat failure to the punch by giving up.
On the flip side, if yoga practice happens to scratch the itch of a rigid perfectionist, they might become obsessed with nailing the asanas—squeezing the life out of every pose and missing the point of the practice entirely.
Both of these extremes close the door on the joy of the process. They leave no room for wonder, nuance, or growth.
Maybe you can see how rigid perfectionism plays out in entrepreneurship: the grinding, the forcing, the obsessing (and not in a fun, nerdy way). The freaking pressure of it all.
A resilient perfectionist, on the other hand, is more flexible and therefore less prone to breaking down or burning out.
Resilient perfectionism looks like committing to a process of refinement—not expecting perfection from the outset.
It’s dedication to the craft—an effort in which curiosity and play are key ingredients.
It’s having a vision, but loosening your grip on desired outcomes that are ultimately out of your control anyway.
In her book, The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control, Katherine Morgan Schafler argues that a perfectionist is someone who recognizes the gap between reality and an ideal and aims to close that gap. She offers the refreshing perspective that this tendency is a strength, not a weakness.
Considering it’s an inherent trait for many of us, perfectionism unfairly gets a bad rap. Much energy is wasted trying to rid ourselves of it when we’d be better off honing it instead.
Like most things, perfectionism is a spectrum. It’s when it’s taken too far—when you become rigid—that it becomes a prison. Because we are often prone to all-or-nothing thinking, the perfectionist’s task is to walk the fine line between the two extremes.
Discipline is only one half of the resilient perfectionist’s success equation. Surrender is the other. It just so happens that this is exactly what we practice in yoga. And whether in yoga, business, or life in general, the journey is the point.
I hope your journey in 2025 is a rewarding one, Reader.
WITH LOVE & GUTS,
Cassie
SPEAKING OF TRANSFORMING PERFECTIONISM
We recently wrapped up another season of the Draft House, my copy + messaging coaching membership.
During our celebratory end-of-year session, everyone reflected on how their writing and marketing efforts have improved over the past few months.
One member shared that she’s been able to cut her email writing time in half.
Another reported being more consistent with her marketing efforts.
Another member shared how she’s refined her brand messaging through developing her latest offer and writing a sales page for it.
While reflecting, one member touched on the idea of building upon the body of work she’s already created rather than trying to constantly reinvent the wheel. She also shared that she’s gotten more comfortable with putting out a “good enough” version of something.
And that’s just the thing. Your work can likely always be better (or different), but at some point, you have to subject it to feedback in order to continue improving upon it.
Developing your copywriting skills and establishing sustainable marketing habits takes time, but as the Draft House members have shown, it’s worth it.
Which is why I’m excited to share that the Draft House is back and better than ever (thanks to constant refinement!) starting in January.
If you could use support knocking out your marketing goals and refining your copywriting skills in 2025, we’re kicking off with a goal-setting and planning workshop on the 15th.
In this workshop, you’ll get clear on your priorities and determine the skills and resources you’ll need to knock ‘em out—with my support, of course.
That support includes:
regular copy reviews
Slack office hours
live workshops and Q&A
virtual coworking
a 1:1 strategy session
and more
I'd love to see you there. See what’s new inside the Draft House and apply to join us.
a hideaway for kindred spirits doing business bravely by Mettle & Tonic
You got into business for freedom. But behind the scenes of your hard-won success is a solopreneur working long hours and second-guessing decisions. We need sustainable business and marketing strategies. We crave meaningful conversations. And we want unfiltered fun.This isn't just content. It's a community - one in which curiosity, self-expression, and heart are the only prerequisites. Online business owners, this is your stomping ground. (Warning: You may be asked to spill your guts.)
