Perfectionism vs. Entrepreneur

Dear struggling entrepreneur,

There are so many days that perfectionism and shame have beaten you. You feel shame at the thought of putting your art out there because maybe you think “it’s not ready yet.” Or maybe, you need to fix one more thing for the millionth time. Even when you’ve done all the work, received all the praise, and even when you know in your gut, you’re built different, and you can really make your crazy dreams come true… even then your inner shame gremlins win. You don’t take a risk so that you can play it safe and keep the shame gremlins happy.

In the wildly popular book, Daring Greatly by Brené Brown, we get to see what research shows us about shame. Brené tells us that research shows we are wired for human connection, and embracing vulnerability, rather than avoiding it, is the key to real courage, connection, and wholehearted living. She also explains how shame thrives in silence and judgement, but loses its power when we speak it, share it, and meet it with empathy.

Entrepreneurship is one of the purest acts of vulnerability and courage at play. As an entrepreneur, every idea you share, every risk you take, and every time you put your art into the world, you’re daring greatly in real time. Hoping to be noticed by the busy world, but also, hoping the world will be nice to you if you are noticed. You hope that people will recognize you spent hours summing up the courage to post something about your small business. And each time you gain some traction; you tell yourself you’ll never have a real following and you’re wasting your time.

But here’s what I’ve learned: the entrepreneurial shame gremlins get quieter when you remember who you’re creating for. When you shift your focus from who might judge you to who might need you, you allow the magic within you to flow.

Dear struggling entrepreneur, your North Stars — the people you want to serve, the impact you want to make, the future you’re building — are what guide you through all the noise.

There are people out there waiting for you to be brave.
They’re waiting for your post, your product, your story — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s yours.

So, keep going. Keep creating. Keep daring greatly.
The ones who are meant for your art will find you if you keep showing up.
And they’ve been waiting for you to show up.

Con amor,
Debany Dávila Salinas