There was a time when I wouldn’t hit “publish” unless everything was flawless—like, even my bullet points had to be in perfect alignment, and don’t get me started on fonts. Helvetica or bust.
And then I became a copywriter.
Turns out, when you write for a living, especially under deadlines, perfectionism is a luxury you simply can’t afford. Clients want done, not flawless. And when I realized that, something shifted.
My perfectionist era (RIP)
Back in the day, I was that girl who rewrote the same blog paragraph six times. I’d start writing a social media post, get stuck on the caption, and next thing you know, it’s 2AM and I’ve designed three mood boards and not a single draft.
I thought it was about high standards. It wasn’t. It was fear—fear of being judged, of failing, of not being good enough. Sound familiar?
What perfectionism really does
It doesn’t make your work better. It just makes you slow, tired, and more likely to ghost your own blog. It steals your joy. It steals your sleep. It makes you compare your rough drafts to someone else’s finished product. (Spoiler alert: not fair.)
And most of all—it makes you miss out on progress.
The power of “done is better than perfect”
Once I gave myself permission to just hit “send,” “publish,” or “post,” I got better at my job. I became faster, braver, and more me in my writing. My voice got stronger. My client work improved. And my own content? Finally out in the world, instead of hidden in my drafts folder labeled “someday.”
Done taught me more than perfect ever could.
Wins since I dropped the perfection act
- I finished entire blog posts in one sitting
- I hit post without overthinking likes and shares
- I let typos go (okay, not too many—but one or two won’t kill you)
- I gave myself grace
- I created more and doubted less
And guess what? Nobody unfollowed me. No one cancelled me for an awkward sentence. Life went on. Better, even.
If you’re still stuck chasing perfect…
Let me tell you: your imperfect, honest work is still powerful. You’re not a robot. Your magic is in your mess. Done is the real flex.
So write that post. Launch that service. Share that idea. Even if it’s not polished to death.
And if anyone complains, tell them your copywriter/content writer friend Lynette gave you permission. I even have the unfinished drafts to prove it.
Ettenyl Writes 