Procrastination and Perfection
I'm a procrastinator.
I'm also a perfectionist.
These can be closely tied together and I'm highly aware of how my desire to do well causes me to procrastinate.
It can seem weird if it's not your tendency.
For me it shows up when I'm feeling unsure of myself or fearful I won't show up well. Things that are new, something that could "expose" that I don't know what I'm doing, or in general I have to uplevel my skills.
Last week, I had a call with my Mentor Coach to review a coaching session. I had been putting it off for quite some time because of that I could be "exposed" though. I was honestly dreading it. Not because I thought my Mentor Coach would tear me to shreds, but because of what it shows about me.
The call went really well.
Not because of my skill. I have some things to improve on in my coaching, as I expected. However, it was great because my coach was kind, soft, encouraging and gave me space to share what I thought about the session. She gave me constructive feedback on ways I could improve -- not with harsh words, but possibilities of how I could open the conversation in different ways.
This is what we do in coaching.
I know this.
And, still, in my perfection and the loops where I get stuck in procrastination because of my perfection, I didn't remember.
As we work with our clients, we have such beautiful opportunities to open up possibilities in conversations with them.
It's likely they know they are stuck at times.
Or they need to reframe and shift.
How do you hold space for the possibilities your clients need to help them move forward?
I look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at an upcoming Education session soon! We've got some great opportunities to engage this fall.
Erin Lego
2025 President - ICF Iowa Charter Chapter