Are You a Perfectionist Without Realizing It? How Overthinking & Overdoing Keep You Stuck
Perfectionism isn’t just about color-coded planners and flawlessly organized spaces. It shows up in ways we don’t always recognize—like overthinking, redoing things a thousand times, or never feeling like something is quite ready.
I know because I’ve been there.
The Day I Got Stuck on a Title
Recently, I was working on a presentation, and instead of diving into the actual content, I got completely stuck on the title. I kept tweaking it, reworking it, questioning if it was “just right.” I spent so much time obsessing over the name that I lost valuable time actually preparing for the talk.
And that’s when it hit me—this was my perfectionism showing up. Not in the obvious way, but in a sneaky, disguised form: over-focusing on the little things and avoiding the real work.
How Perfectionism Sneaks Into Your Life
Maybe you don’t think of yourself as a perfectionist. But have you ever:
Rewritten an email five times before hitting send?
Ruminated on a conversation, wondering if you said the “right” thing?
Over-researched before starting something new, waiting until you feel fully ready?
Procrastinated because you’re afraid of not doing it perfectly?
Taken way too long on a simple task because you kept tweaking and adjusting?
These are all forms of perfectionism. It’s not always about being “perfect”—sometimes, it’s about avoiding discomfort, failure, or criticism.
Why We Get Stuck in Perfectionism
At its core, perfectionism isn’t really about being perfect—it’s about feeling safe. It’s about protecting ourselves from the discomfort of failure, judgment, or uncertainty.
But here’s the truth: perfectionism doesn’t protect us—it paralyzes us.
When we spend too much time overthinking, overworking, or avoiding, we’re not moving forward. We’re just staying stuck in fear.
So the next time you catch yourself obsessing over something small (like a presentation title!), redoing something unnecessarily, or holding back because it’s not perfect—pause. Ask yourself:
"What am I really afraid of here?"
Recognizing the deeper why behind our perfectionist tendencies is the first step in loosening their grip.
How Perfectionism Shows Up in Each Enneagram Type
If you’re familiar with the Enneagram, you know that each type has different motivations and struggles. Here’s how perfectionism might be playing a role in your life:
Type 1: I hold myself to impossibly high standards and struggle to accept mistakes.
Type 2: I want to be seen as helpful, so I overcommit and struggle to say no.
Type 3: I tie my worth to my achievements, so I overwork and fear failure.
Type 4: I want my work to feel meaningful, so I overthink and hesitate to put it out into the world.
Type 5: I feel like I never know enough, so I over-research and delay taking action.
Type 6: I fear making the wrong choice, so I overanalyze and struggle to trust myself.
Type 7: I want to keep my options open, so I avoid committing and finishing projects.
Type 8: I don’t want to appear weak, so I resist asking for help even when I need it.
Type 9: I want to keep the peace, so I avoid conflict and hesitate to assert myself.
Do any of these sound familiar?
A Simple Way to Move Forward
If you find yourself caught in overthinking and overwhelm, having a few simple routines in place can help you refocus and move forward without getting stuck in perfectionism. That’s exactly why I created my free guide: Creating Simple, Life-Changing Routines—to help you build easy, sustainable habits that support your life without overcomplicating things.
Or, if your mindset tends to keep you stuck, my Mindset Journaling Guide will help you untangle your thoughts, challenge limiting beliefs, and create a more intentional approach to your day.
Download your journaling guide here!
Final Thought
Perfectionism isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a roadblock.
The goal isn’t to do everything perfectly—it’s to do things intentionally. To make progress. To take action, even when it’s a little messy.
Because done is better than perfect. And your life is meant to be lived, not endlessly edited.
