Perfectionist tendencies can be a real trap, keeping us from making progress and moving forward. How many half-written songs, unedited film clips, and unfinished projects are sitting on your hard drive right now? How many times have you started something with a spark of inspiration only to abandon it because it didn’t feel perfect?
In the third episode of the second season of REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This, my co-host Rawinia Judson and I dive into this very topic with award-winning filmmaker and actor Frederick Pokai. You can listen to the full conversation here on Apple Podcasts or Spotify podcasts.
Frederick, who’s spent years bringing emotionally charged stories to life, put it perfectly: “Finishing it — that’s success. That is success because…you can get so caught up in the details that you forget to actually complete the damn thing.”
Here’s the full episode over on YouTube if you prefer more visually interesting podcasts.
In the meantime, let’s take a quick look at the issue of perfectionism.
Why Perfectionist Tendencies Hold You Back
When we’re constantly striving to get everything just right, we can lose sight of what really matters — making progress and creating something valuable. Instead of moving forward, we get stuck in the minutiae — the perfect vocal take, the flawless lyric, the ideal shot. But in reality, it’s the act of completing a project, regardless of how perfect it is, that helps us grow and learn new skills.
My husband and I say this all the time: “you don’t fail; you learn”.
Especially in my work as an empowerment through songwriting and vocal coach. My clients often come to me with unfinished songs — ideas that never made it to completion because they didn’t feel “good enough.” They’ll also stop practicing halfway through because they’re worried about a mistake they made.
But what if we shifted the perspective? What if the goal wasn’t perfection, but progress?
Embracing the Process, Not the Perfect Result
In the podcast episode, Rawinia, Frederick, and I discuss how we often sabotage our own creative process by setting impossible standards. As Frederick said, “Everything I have done has not turned out how I envisioned it. So nowadays when I’m doing a project, I’m pretty acceptant of that.”
The truth is, perfect is the enemy of good. The beauty of art — whether it’s a song, a book, or a film — is that it’s a snapshot of who you are in a particular moment. It doesn’t need to be flawless; it just needs to be finished. That’s the real success — and that’s what actually helps you move forward, learn, and grow.
How to Let Go of Perfection and Focus on Progress
Set Clear Goals: Set specific, achievable goals for each project. This keeps you from missing the point and helps you stay focused on making progress rather than getting stuck in the details.
Remind Yourself of the Value of Effort: Every effort you put into creating something is valuable, even if it’s not perfectly executed.
Embrace Making Mistakes: Making mistakes is how we learn new skills. Instead of feeling frustrated, remind yourself that every misstep is a step forward.
Share Your Work: Don’t wait for it to be perfect to share it with the world. The point is to connect, inspire, and grow — not to be flawless.
How Empowerment Through Songwriting Can Help You Move Forward
One of the reasons I’m so passionate about my work as a vocal and songwriting coach is because songwriting is a powerful tool for moving through perfectionist tendencies. It gives you a framework to express what’s on your mind without worrying about how it sounds to others. In my sessions, I teach my clients how to take that unfinished lyric, that half-formed melody, and turn it into a complete song — a tangible representation of their story, unpolished but undeniably impactful.
Because the truth is, your voice matters — even when it’s not perfect.
Want to learn how to use songwriting to silence the inner critic, stay focused on making progress, and achieve your goals? Let’s talk. Book a session with me here.
And don’t forget to listen to the full conversation with Frederick Pokai on REAL TALK: Mental Health Sounds Like This here.
