Welcome to another episode of the podcast that teaches you how to be a ridiculously good virtual assistant.
Today I want to talk about perfection. Not achieving it, but letting it hold you back.
Today’s Quote: “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
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Connect with Tracey D’Aviero, VA Coach and Trainer
Episode Notes:
One of the biggest mistakes I see virtual assistants make (and something I’ve also wrestled with in my own business) is waiting until everything is perfect before taking action.
Now let’s be clear right away: perfection is a lie. It’s a delay tactic. It’s fear dressed up as being responsible or professional. And if you fall into this trap, it will keep you stuck for far too long.
In this episode, I want to talk about this extremely common mistake and cover why striving for perfection is holding you back more than helping you. And I’ll share what you can do instead to move forward confidently, even when things feel a little messy or uncertain.
And of course, if this episode hits home, I invite you to work with me. I can help you stop overthinking and start doing. With a plan, with clarity, and with support.
The Perfection Trap: What It Looks Like
This mistake shows up in a lot of sneaky ways. It might sound something like: “I just need to finish tweaking my website before I start promoting myself.” Or “I’m still deciding on my niche, so I can’t talk to clients yet.” or “I want to post on social media, but I don’t know what to say and I’m not ready to show up.”
Can you relate?
This kind of thinking feels** responsible.** It feels like you’re “doing the work” because you’re thinking things through. You’re researching. You’re building something behind the scenes.
But the truth is you are just hiding. Hiding from taking a step.
You’re delaying the uncomfortable part: putting yourself out there. Being seen. Risking failure or rejection. You’re stuck in the waiting game.
It may not feel like you are waiting, but I can promise you that you are.
And here’s what I’ve learned, both from experience and from coaching hundreds of VAs:
You don’t build a business by waiting. You build it by showing up.
Even when it’s not perfect. Even when you don’t have all the answers. Even when you’re still going over your packages or spending more time in Canva on your logo or your brand colours.
Why This Mistake Is So Common
There are a few big reasons VAs fall into the perfection trap. And honestly, you shouldn’t even feel bad if you are stuck there. Perfection is so admirable. We want to look impressive, professional, polished, and ready to go.
It’s perfectly normal – you are definitely not alone here. So let’s talk about the reasons that you might fall into this trap.
First, there’s fear of judgment. You don’t want to look like you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re worried people will think you’re unprofessional or not ready. That you will look NEW or UNPREPARED. You might be both of those things, but nobody wants others to notice, right??
Second, there’s comparison. You’re watching other VAs online and thinking, “I need to be more like her before I launch,” or “Her website looks way better than mine. I’m not ready yet.” Or you find one more way to change what you’ve already done – to model someone who looks like they are better.
And third, there’s self-doubt. This is the big one. Deep down, you might not feel good enough yet. So you keep waiting until some magical moment when you’ll feel more confident, more polished, more prepared. It’s so much easier not to talk to people if you can convince yourself that you just have to do THIS or THAT first.
But confidence doesn’t come first. Action does.
Confidence comes from doing. Not from preparing to do.
Where It’s Keeping You Stuck
Here’s the hard truth: Every day you delay because something’s “not quite ready,” you’re missing out on opportunities.
You’re delaying getting clients. Earning income. You’re delaying growth. You’re delaying progress.
And worst of all, you’re training yourself to believe that you’re not ready, even though you probably already are.
Think about this: Your first client isn’t hiring you because you have the perfect Instagram grid or because your services page has the best fonts.
They’re hiring you because you solve a problem for them. Because you’re clear, helpful, and confident enough to say, “I can help you with that.”
That’s it! Everything else is bonus.
What to Do Instead
So how do you move forward without falling into the perfection trap?
Let’s walk through a few steps to get you over it.
Step 1: Decide What “Good Enough” Looks Like
You do not need a polished brand package to get started. You need: a basic service list (what you do and what problems you solve), a way to talk to potential clients (email, DM, contact form, doesn’t matter which), the ability to show up consistently and talk about what you do.
If you have those three things, you are ready.
So instead of asking, “Is it perfect yet?” ask, “Is this clear enough for someone to say yes to working with me?”
That’s your goal. Not perfect. Clear enough.
Step 2: Set a Deadline and Stick to It
If you’re working on something like your website, or your first set of packages, give yourself a real deadline.
And I don’t mean a loose “end of the month” deadline. I mean a specific “I will launch this by Friday at 10am” kind of deadline.
Then, treat it like a client deadline. No moving it. No adding extra polish. No stalling.
I tell you this all the time – if a client asked you to get their business off the ground, or their packages done, or their research finished, you could do it easily,.
You would just into action, set a deadline and get it done.
The only reason you are dragging your heels is that this is for YOU.
You know it. I know it. Treat it like a client deadline and things will move forward.
What actually moves your business forward is hitting send, publishing the page, showing up in the DM, having the conversation. Not tinkering endlessly. You would not spend your client’s budget tinkering and continually making changes to something before finalizing it. Don’t do it for yourself.
Step 3: Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
The goal isn’t to have everything figured out. The goal is to take the next step.
Think about how kids learn to walk. They don’t wait until they’ve mastered balance, strength, and coordination. They stand up, they wobble, they fall, they get up again.
Riding a bike. You figured it out.
The messy bun, or a French braid. You practiced and you got it done,
It’s the same for anything – you have to get started and then work it out.
You don’t learn how to be a confident VA in theory. You learn by doing , a little bit at a time.
Each step teaches you something. Each mistake builds resilience. Each win builds confidence.
Progress happens when you move – not when you wait.
Step 4: Normalize Imperfection
Let me let you in on something: Everyone is figuring it out as they go.
Even the VAs you look up to. Even the business owners you admire. We’re all improving in real-time.
And the only difference between the VAs who grow and the ones who stay stuck is this:
The ones who grow are willing to show up imperfectly.
They launch before they feel totally ready. They make mistakes and learn from them. They prioritize connection over perfection.
I waited probably a year before doing videos. I thought I had to have studio lighting and better clothes, and hair and makeup, for anyone to listen to me.
I finally just jumped in and started – and it is the EASIEST thing I do now because I know it’s what I am talking about in the videos that is most important.
I mean, I brush my hair, put on a clean shirt, and make sure I’m in a clean area of my office before I go live, but that’s really all I worry about.
I waited two years to do this podcast. My colleague and I both waited, making excuses, for two years. Now we are both celebrating 3 years of podcasting, and we both still just love it!
And you tell me you love it too, which is even better.
This is what I want for you. To get started. To move.
Step 5: Get Support
This one’s important.
If you’re stuck in perfectionism, it’s hard to see it when you’re in it.
Everything you do feels so rational. It feels like you’re just “not quite ready yet.” – but you’re close!
I know … it truly feels like you are working to do what you say you are doing.
But someone outside your head (like a coach, a mentor, or even a colleague) can help you see what’s really going on. We can see objectively what is really happening.
We can help you sort out what matters now versus what can wait.
We can help you stay accountable to your deadlines.
And most of all, we can remind you that what you’re building doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be real, and to be happening.
If that kind of support sounds good to you, I’d love to work together. Helping you move forward confidently without getting stuck in your head is exactly what I do.
I want you to know that it’s okay to feel nervous. It’s okay to feel unsure. It’s even okay to feel like you’re not quite ready.
But don’t let those feelings keep you small.
Don’t wait for perfection that’s never coming.
Take the next step anyway.
Trust that you’ll grow into what you’re building. One decision, one action, one imperfect but powerful move at a time.
You’ve got this. And if you want help getting out of the waiting game and into momentum, you know where to find me.
Do You Need Help?
If you’re tired of waiting and want a plan to move forward with clarity and confidence, let’s work together. My coaching programs are designed to help you simplify your business, stop second-guessing yourself, and take consistent action. No perfection required.
You can find links to all of my trainings and coaching at YourVAMentor.com/links.
It’s the only reason I’m here at all is to help you become a ridiculously good VA.
I’m Tracey DAviero The Confidence Coach for VAs. That’s all I’ve got for you this week, I’ll see you next time!