We often treat perfectionism as a "humble-brag" weakness—the kind of thing people say in job interviews to sound impressive. But in my years managing both wealth and people, I’ve seen that perfectionism isn’t a badge of honor. It’s often a liability.

Many years ago, I was managing an employee who spent weeks perfecting quarterly reports—redoing every paragraph and chart until they were flawless. But our clients needed these reports delivered on time, even if they were not picture perfect. This perfectionism meant deadlines were missed and clients grew frustrated. The employee thought they were excelling, but they were failing. Eventually, this obsession with perfection led to the loss of the job. 

This is the tunnel vision of perfectionism. It causes you to focus on minor cosmetic details while major objectives (like delivering the report on time) slip away. You might spend weeks figuring out the best investment choice for your retirement savings, but that delay might actually diminish your ability to become financially independent. 

Finding the Middle Way

The Buddha used the example of tuning a lute to teach about balance. If you pull the strings too tight, they snap. If you leave them too loose, you get no sound. Perfectionism is like pulling lute strings until they break, and you’re left with no music at all.

I see this same "striving" with investing. Many people get so caught up in finding the perfect day to invest that they end up paralyzed by indecision. In finance, waiting for perfection often leads to earning less money, as the markets have generously rewarded patient long-term investors.

Asking the Right Questions

"Good enough" isn't about lowering standards; it's about asking better questions:

• Does this email need to be perfectly crafted, or just clear?
• Does this project need to be flawless, or functional and timely?

When you answer honestly, you stop wasting energy on details that nobody but you will notice.

The Practice of Letting Go

Mindfulness helps us catch the perfectionist voice: "This has to be flawless." "I'm not good enough." When you notice these thoughts, pause. Ask yourself: “Am I demanding perfection because it serves a purpose, or because I’m afraid of failure or disappointment?” 

Notice the difference between your flow at work when you feel you are enough versus the days when you feel less than enough. When you stop chasing perfection you free up your energy and time to see new opportunities you would otherwise have missed.



Your Practice This Week

Try practicing "good enough" in one area this week:

• Let your boss or client know that you’re sending a first draft, and ask them to give you feedback before you finalize everything. Chances are they’ll tell you the first draft is fine already.
• Start saving/investing money on a monthly basis even if you’re not sure of the timing or the best vehicle for doing it.

From a Buddhist perspective, our flaws are grist for the mill. What if we accept that we'll always have flaws? Then, instead of fighting against our imperfections, we can work with them—and I find that realization liberating.

By letting go of the need to be perfect, you free up your most valuable assets: your time, your presence, and your joy.