I work with high-achieving women. And that often means that I’m working with perfectionists. My clients don’t just want to complete a task, they want to do it flawlessly and they want to be the best at what they’re doing. That mindset doesn’t work when it comes to your physical health. If you want a sustainable, healthy lifestyle, you have to stop thinking of it in terms of perfection, and start thinking of it in terms of progress.

Perfection-focused goals are based on external standards

When you think about your fitness and health goals, are they based on other people, on how you’ll be perceived by others? From a very early age we start comparing ourselves to others. And often, we compare our worst qualities and our mistakes to others’ strengths and successes. 

Progress-focused health means that you’re looking internally. Your goals are about what’s best for YOU, and you’re only comparing your behavior to yourself.

Perfection-focused health goals set you up for failure

When your health goals are centered around strict guidelines that require perfection, you set yourself up for failure. Because anything short of perfection will feel like failure. Life doesn’t happen in a controlled environment. And as much as you try to control every meal and workout, life will get in the way and you’ll fall short of perfection.

Progress-focused health sees “failure” as a good thing, because it’s a step towards learning what works for you. It involves asking questions like, “Why did I do that? What stopped me? How was I feeling right before I reacted that way?” Mistakes have happened and will again. You’ll skip a workout, or have a night out where you binge. But when you learn to value consistency over perfection, you’ll have more success over time!

Perfection-focused goals are obsessed with an endpoint

Wanting to achieve and be successful isn’t a bad thing. But when your goals focus on perfect behavior, you subconsciously build in an end date. Because perfection isn’t sustainable and we know it. So perfection-focused health goals are set up to be achieved and then forgotten. 

Progress-focused health is a long, ever-changing process. And because there’s no end, you can achieve even more than you think!

I have consciously set up my programs to focus on progress, growth, and consistency. Because my goal is to help you create a long-term sustainably healthy lifestyle. I’m not giving you a diet plan, I’m teaching you how to create a physically and mentally healthy life where you are in charge. Stop focusing on perfection, and start working towards progress. If you’re ready to get started, give me a call!