The Excellence Shift: When Standards Become Sabotage

Are your "high standards" keeping you stuck?

Last week’s message struck a nerve in the best possible way.

So many of you messaged me, or brought it into our coaching conversations with some version of:

“That’s me. That’s exactly what I’ve been struggling with or Are you talking directly to me this week?!”

And that’s powerful.

The truth? Without awareness, nothing shifts.

This tension between perfectionism and excellence is one that shows up in high performers constantly—especially in fast-paced, high-stakes industries like sales, finance, and leadership.

You’ve probably said something like:

“I don’t want to do it unless I can do it right.”

“It’s not ready yet. I need to polish it more.”

Sound familiar?

It feels like a badge of honor. And to a degree—it is.

Having high standards is a strength… until it morphs into the very thing that holds you back.

So here’s the hard truth:

Not everything that looks like a standard is one.

Sometimes, it’s perfectionism in disguise.

Let me show you the difference:

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Excellence Perfectionism

Drives you to… Take bold, imperfect action Overprepare, delay, void

Energy feels… Focused, engaged, courageous Heavy, anxious, paralyzed

Goal is…. Progress and impact Flawlessness and approval

Rooted in… Growth and self-leadership Fear and self-protection

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Here’s the coaching reframe:

You don’t need to lower your standards.

But you may need to realign them with your values.

Excellence is intentional.

Perfectionism is reactive.

Excellence asks:

“What’s the next best step that will move me forward?”

Perfectionism says:

“It’s not good enough yet—better wait.”

If your “standards” are keeping you stuck, it’s worth asking:

Are they driving my impact?

Or are they a clever way to avoid the discomfort of showing up imperfectly?

Because the truth is—nothing meaningful is built by playing it safe.

Your clients, your team, your business… they don’t need perfect.

They need you. Clear. Focused. Fully engaged.

This Week’s Reflection:

• Where in your work or life are your high standards holding you back instead of propelling you forward?

• What would it look like to approach that situation with excellence instead of perfection?

Next time, we’ll explore how to rewire your internal reward system so you feel fueled by progress—not burned out by pressure.