Why Striving for the Perfect System is Counterproductive | 102
Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast app:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | Pod.link / Pick Another App
Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission if clicked at no extra cost to you. Though the opinions remain my own
Podcast Description
Have you ever felt like you’re stuck endlessly tweaking your systems, trying to find the perfect planner, tool, or setup… and yet never actually making progress?
🙋🏻♀️ Yep, been there too. In today’s special episode, I’m giving you a full sneak peek from inside the VIP Upgrade for my upcoming free training on April 29th!
This isn’t just a random bonus. It’s a real behind-the-scenes look at the exact mindset shift you need to start making imperfect progress now, instead of getting trapped in “getting ready to get ready” mode.
I’m dropping an actual VIP audio from the private podcast feed you’ll unlock when you upgrade and trust me, if you resonate with this episode, you’re going to want to grab that VIP access.
💬 Plus, I’m spilling one of the biggest traps that keeps entrepreneurs overwhelmed with their systems (hint: it’s perfectionism!) and exactly how you can start breaking free from it starting today.
What you’ll learn:
- Why chasing the “perfect” system is secretly keeping you stuck.
- The sneaky way perfectionism slows your momentum (and how to fix it).
- Why simple systems are your new best friend for progress.
- The key mindset shift to finally start using what you have… now.
Mentioned Resources:
- FREE Training: 3 Steps to Say Goodbye to Task Overload
- VIP Upgrade + Private Podcast Access → Available after signup
- Special $5 Getting Started with Trello Course Offer (for VIPs!) → Details inside VIP feed
Links Referenced in Episode:
Connect with me:
Episode Transcript
(Note: This is a formatted AI-generated transcript to make it easier for you to read through, but is not an optimized blog post. Please excuse any spelling or grammar errors and filler words – it’s just how I speak LOL)
Episode Intro
Hey, I’m Lucy Reyes, your host of the Cheerful Productive Chats Podcast, where I’m on a mission to help online entrepreneurs that like you focus on all the right things and kiss overwhelmed goodbye. Here, you’re going to learn strategies that will boost your productivity so that you can scale your online biz and impact lives sooner. It’s your time to shine. So let’s get started
Hey, hey, welcome back to the Cheerful Productive Chats podcast. I am hosting a free training next week if you’re listening to this in real time, called Three Steps to Say Goodbye to Task Overwhelm. And I’m telling you, this is not your typical free webinar. It is a workshop style where you need to come prepared to take action.
Like you are going to leave with something tangible that you can actually start to implement, and I’m so, so excited. Definitely go check out the link in the show notes if you haven’t signed up for it yet.
VIP Upgrade Audio Preview
Now today’s episode is a little bit different. It’s something special I have for you. It’s an audio from the VIP upgrade, so whenever you sign up for the free training, you’re going to be presented with this option to upgrade to VIP and what this VIP option is going to include, it includes an extra bonus Q&A session after a free training, so that way you can get your questions answered to everything or anything that was covered.
You get lifetime ongoing access to the free training because like I said, this is not your typical free training. It is something where you’re actually probably gonna wanna go back and reference in the future, so you get lifetime ongoing access to that and you get some bonus resources. One of ’em being a daily private podcast with little audio snippets to help you really get into the right mindset and along with some actionable tips that you can start implementing right now before the training even gets started.
So, we’re only on audio drop number two. The first one was released yesterday and today, I figured, why not give you a preview? A sneak peek as to the types of episodes that you’re going to hear and to know what’s to come. So I’m actually dropping the exact audio that I have put into this VIP package and putting it into this public podcast, the Cheerful Productive Chats podcast for you to listen to as well. From here, the rest of the episodes are only going to be available to a VIP.
So I’m going to go ahead and drop the audio and enjoy.
Why Striving for the Perfect System is Counterproductive
Hey hey, welcome back to the podcast! In our last episode, we learned that the #1 mistake that keeps us stuck is overcomplicating everything.
Today, we’re diving into another huge barrier that keeps you from moving forward: perfectionism.
Ohhhh, perfectionism. I know this one all too well! It’s something that I’ve struggled with, and honestly, it’s something my husband (who’s been a business owner for over 20 years) still battles with today.
We both know the pain of endlessly tweaking systems (or anything we do), trying to get them just right. And let me tell you, it doesn’t actually help.
If you’ve ever spent hours searching for the perfect system or tool or planner, only to end up feeling more overwhelmed, today’s episode is for you.
The Perfectionism Trap
A lot of us get stuck in the cycle of trying to perfect our systems before we even use them. We search for the perfect digital or paper planner, the perfect project management tool (should I use Trello? Asana? Or ClickUp? Which one is better? etc.
Or even the perfect process and order of doing things and guess what? We waste so much time looking for the perfect solution that we end up not using anything at all.
Does this sound familiar? You start a new system or take the free trial for a new tool, thinking it’ll be the answer to your organizational problems, but then you tweak it, adjust it, and end up not using it at all. Analysis paralysis sets in, and before you know it, you’re stuck in the “getting ready to get ready” phase.
Why It’s Counterproductive
Yeah, I get it. I’ve been there too. When I first dived into the world of project management tools, I was the exact same way. I did all the free trials, spent hours trying to find the PERFECT tool that would do EVERYTHING I needed and it took me 3 tries to finally settle on Trello.
But you see, it’s not about the tool and it’s not even all about the system or process. Being a perfectionist in general leads to more procrastination.
You end up spending more time thinking about the perfect way to do something rather than actually doing it. And the longer you wait for the ideal system or process, the more you delay progress.
And when you don’t make progress, you start feeling overwhelmed and stuck all over again. And it’s a vicious cycle.
The Shift
So, how do we break free from this? The key is to focus on progress, not perfection. Instead of trying to find the perfect system or tool, just pick something simple and start using it. You can always tweak it later as you go, but the most important thing is that you’re taking action.
In the upcoming free training, we’ll dive more into releasing the pressure to “get it all right” and finally make consistent progress, on your terms.
But today, I want you to start thinking about how you can take imperfect action. That means picking one tool or system to use today, even if it’s not “perfect,” and getting started.
In fact, I’m going to throw in a special bonus to get my course on Getting Started with Trello for just $5. The link and coupon is in the show notes.
Remember, you don’t have to have everything figured out to make progress. Just take one small step, and the momentum will follow.
Closing + Teaser for Next Episode
I hope today’s episode helped you see how perfectionism is actually keeping you stuck. Don’t let the idea of the “perfect system” hold you back from taking action.
In our next episode, we’re going to talk about how not tracking your progress is leading to more overwhelm and what to do about it. So, stay tuned for that!
And of course, don’t forget to save the date for the free training on your calendar for April 29th – it’s coming up soon and I hope to see you live!
Thanks for tuning in, and I’ll be back tomorrow with another episode.
Upgrade to VIP
Okay, I am back. I really, really hope that you enjoyed that snippet, that not even a snippet. It was a full episode from the VIP upgrade when you sign up for my free training on April 29th. So that is just one of the episodes. Some other topics that are yet to come into the private feed include: Not Tracking Your Progress Leads To Overwhelm and Here’s What To Do About It.
That episode is dropping tomorrow for VIP upgrade members. We’re also going to talk about why you don’t need more time and what you need instead. We’re gonna talk about how to build momentum so that way you can finally and actually stay consistent with your systems. This is a big one. This is one that I hear so often from my members and my students that staying consistent with their systems that they create or grab or use or whatever, like they just struggle with actually keeping up with them on a consistent basis. So we’re gonna talk about that. We’re gonna talk about how you can actually get through to that and a couple of other topics.
So we have a few more topics to go in the VIP upgrade. So when you sign up for the free training on April 29th, you’re gonna be presented with this at VIP upgrade offer, and these episodes are going to drop for VIP members only. The first few minutes after you sign up is the best time to sign up because that’s the best and the lowest price. so if not knowing where to even start with your systems, if you have been feeling inconsistent with using anything that you grab, whether it’s a Trello board, an Airtable base, whatever it is, and you don’t even know why.
You just can’t seem to move forward or why you’re not making any progress, and you really want to set yourself up for the best possible experience at the free training and be sure that you are mentally prepared to take in and soak in all of the goodness that I’m going to share in that free training, and get a lifetime access to it along with the bonus Q&A session and some other bonus resources that will drop right before the training so that way you can keep to make the process implementing so much easier.
If that’s something that sounds like you need, which if you’re listening to this episode and if you’ve made it this far, I’m going to go ahead and assume that it is. So go ahead and upgrade to VIP after you have signed up for that free training, and I will see you there.
Episode Wrap-Up
Thank you so much for listening to the Cheerful Productive Chats Podcast with me, Lucy Reyes. To view the full transcript and all the links mentioned in today’s episode, visit cheerstoproductivity.com/podcast. And before you go, make sure you follow or subscribe wherever you’re listening so that you know once the next productive chat is released. Talk soon and cheers to your productivity and success!
Episode References + CTA
Links Referenced in Episode:
Don’t miss a single episode so that you can get productive and grow your online biz without overwhelm.
Subscribe to the podcast and tune in every Wednesday:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Podcasts | Pod.link / Pick Another App
