Perfectionism Is Poverty in Disguise

By John Harvey

If you're constantly overthinking every move, If you rewrite the email five times before hitting send, If you're always "almost ready" to launch, but never quite do. Then you need to hear this.

Perfectionism will keep you broke.

It drains you mentally, emotionally, spiritually and creatively because perfectionism isn’t just procrastination. It’s a subtle (or not-so-subtle) thief of your energy, productivity, and well-being. It makes you feel productive, but stops you from producing. It tricks you into waiting for the “right time” while your future quietly slips away.

I’ve seen this pattern kill businesses, stall careers, and destroy dreams before they ever had a chance to breathe. But I’ve also seen what happens when someone finally lets go of perfect—and starts building momentum. This is what changed everything for me...

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The 10 Rules That Helped Me Escape the Perfection Trap

1. Slow Down to Speed Up

At one point, I thought urgency was a strength. I rushed every task. Pushed every deadline. Pressured every outcome.

But I learned this the hard way:

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

Greatness isn’t rushed. It’s engineered. Speed without direction is just chaos in disguise.

2. Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

I used to back off when it got hard. Now I lean in. Discomfort isn’t the enemy. It’s a signpost.

Growth lives on the other side of discomfort. And wealth is earned where most people quit.

3. Adopt the Cycle of Success

Ship → Learn → Iterate → Repeat.

That’s it. Not perfect. Not polished. Not flawless. Just shipped.

Progress beats perfection—every single time.

4. Start Now. Hit Publish.

You’re not too late. You’re just waiting too long.

Share before you’re ready. The world rewards courageous execution, not endless preparation.

5. Build a Personal Board of Directors

Stop isolating yourself. Mentors, advisors, and peers don’t just give answers. They shrink your fear.

You don’t need to know everything. You just need people who’ve been there—and are willing to walk with you.

6. Build a Business That Feels Like Play

When I stopped forcing myself into models that didn’t fit, everything changed.

Align your business with your genius. Design it around what energizes you. When work feels like play, you scale without burnout.

7. Systematize Everything You Can

Want freedom? Build structure.

Systems turn scattered effort into scalable results. Systems don’t get tired. They don’t procrastinate. They perform.

If you want consistent results, build the machine—not just the motivation.

8. Use “Hell Yes or No” as Your Compass

If it’s not a Hell Yes, it’s a Heck No.

Energy is your most valuable currency. Stop spending it on obligations. Start investing it in outcomes.

9. Live by the 80/20 Rule

80% of your results come from 20% of your actions. That’s not theory. It’s law.

Ruthlessly eliminate the noise. Obsess over what moves the needle.

Hustle is random. Leverage is intentional.

10. Get 5% Better Every Day

Massive change doesn’t happen overnight. It happens in tiny wins stacked on top of each other.

Stop trying to be perfect. Start trying to be better.

Compounding isn’t just for money. It’s for mastery.

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The Final Shift: From Overthinker to Wealth Architect

I used to think success came from doing things perfectly. Now I know it comes from doing the right things—consistently.

Let go of the illusion of perfection. Let go of the fear that you’ll be judged. Let go of the need for approval.

And replace it with one question:

What can I execute today that my future self will thank me for?

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How to Apply This in 7 Days

Day 1: Launch something before you feel ready. Just ship it.

Day 2: Schedule 1 hour to map out a repeatable system you need.

Day 3: Audit your calendar and cut everything that’s not high leverage.

Day 4: Ask for feedback from a mentor, not permission.

Day 5: Say no to a “good” opportunity and protect your focus.

Day 6: Post publicly about something imperfect you’re building.

Day 7: Write down 3 actions you’re overthinking and take one step on each.

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Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

♻️ Share this article with an entrepreneur or sales manager who’s ready to turn failure into fuel. And if you’re not already following me on LinkedIn—now is the time.

Click here: Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=johnrobertharvey

We’re not just building businesses. We’re building legacies.

The only question is: Will your legacy be built by design—or destroyed by default?

Choose wisely and thanks for reading.