This is the second post in my Mindset Reset Series, which explores a set of mindset shifts that can help cultivate an antifragile mindset – one that helps you thrive on challenge and spark positive change in your life.
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I tend to be a perfectionist. The one who works on something, tinkers with it, refines it, and then goes back to tinker again. I’ll keep going until I think I’ve finally got it “right,” I’ve hit a deadline, or I’m just plain tired of the process.
The problem? This often leads to procrastination and wasted time.
Trying to perfect something isn’t bad in itself—it can produce beautiful work. But I see it as a problem when it hinders progress and gets in the way of living, learning, and growing. It’s also a problem when it affects the people around you. And over the course of a recent 5-day experiment, I saw clearly just how much perfectionism does both.
On the other side of the coin is an experimental mindset—something I’ve been aspiring to build on my antifragile journey. Fortunately, I’ve always been a curious person, which has helped me push into areas of discomfort and growth. But when left unchecked, my tendency is to really lean into safety and caution—comfort zones dressed up as “high standards.”
I learned that shifting to an experimental mindset lets you embrace messiness, build flexibility, create opportunities, and become better at problem-solving. It’s also how you learn faster, recover stronger, and keep moving forward.
This experiment was about pushing myself further along that spectrum—away from flawless execution and toward continuous learning.
My Hypothesis
If I deliberately shift from striving for perfection to treating my actions as low-stakes experiments, I will:
- Reduce procrastination
- Feel more energized
- Take more action
- Learn more from failure
…ultimately building momentum and confidence in pursuing bold goals.
My Methods
To test my hypothesis, I set 3 guiding principles for the week:
- Focus on process, progress, and learning instead of flawless outcomes.
- Use tools from my earlier self-awareness experiment to catch and name perfectionist thoughts as they happen.
- Build momentum through movement—small wins, quick actions, and low-stakes tests.
I anchored each day with a specific task designed to push me out of perfectionism and into experimentation:
🧠 Day 1: Publish the First Draft
- Task: Post something unfinished—a messy thought, a rough idea, a poem.
- What I did: Wrote a poem in one sitting and shared it on Instagram. I love poetry but hadn’t written in ages.
- Reflection: I feared it would feel vulnerable, but it was fun and freeing. I shared it first with my family, then with friends. There was no judgment—just encouragement.
- Lesson: There’s nothing to fear in low-stakes creative sharing.
🎙 Day 2: Teach Something You’re Still Figuring Out
- Task: Share a concept while still learning it.
- What I did: Explained the idea of antifragility to a friend I knew would challenge me, admitting I’m still exploring it.
- Reflection: She instantly connected with it, sharing her own examples. This reinforced my belief that it’s a powerful lens for life.
- Lesson: You don’t need to be an “expert” to offer value and stimulate the imagination of others. Real life experience helps.
💬 Day 3: Ask for Feedback Early
- Task: Share something “unfinished” and invite input.
- What I did: Asked my family for feedback on my blog’s organization.
- Reflection: I invited scrutiny but got constructive advice that I’ve already applied—this post’s structure is one result.
- Lesson: Feedback is a gift, not a threat. Thoughtfully applying feedback makes things better.
🎭 Day 4: Break a Rule You Made for Yourself
- Task: Challenge a personal “must always” standard.
- What I did: Stopped myself from critiquing my son’s magic tricks. He had just come home from magic camp (I wish I had this growing up!), buzzing with excitement, and I let him share his new skills without “fixing” anything.
- Reflection: His joy was unfiltered, and I realized my perfectionist lens could dampen others’ enthusiasm.
- Lesson: Sometimes, my role is to cheer, not to “improve”.
🚶 Day 5: Celebrate Imperfect Action
- Task: Complete a lingering to-do without overthinking.
- What I did: Hung a painting I bought in India years ago. I’d delayed because I hadn’t found “the perfect frame” and fretted over doing a good job.
- Reflection: It’s now on the wall, and I love it. The delay only robbed me of years of enjoyment.
Lesson: Momentum matters more than perfection.
My Results
By the end of the 5 days, I noticed tangible changes:
- Less pressure and anxiety overall.
- More joy in the process—things felt lighter, even fun.
- Better interactions with others, especially my family—less critiquing, more encouraging.
- New creative energy—writing poetry, teaching ideas, and tackling small wins gave me momentum.
- Getting sh** done! I was enormously productive crossing multiple other to-do’s off my list through my newly found momentum.
Some standout moments:
- Realizing my son doesn’t need my perfectionism in his hobbies—he needs space to experiment and enjoy.
- Seeing my poem spark smiles and connection.
- Feeling proud instead of hesitant after getting and applying early feedback.
Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. On one side, it drives high standards and thoroughness. On the other, it delays progress, adds stress, and sometimes hurts relationships.
This experiment revealed that my “right way” of doing things is often just my way—not the only or even the best way. Letting go of control didn’t make things worse—in most cases, it made them better.
It also reinforced why an experimental mindset matters:
- Curiosity grows, creativity shines. You’re more willing to try new things without the fear of failing.
- Failure becomes feedback. You gather data you’d never get if you waited for perfect.
- Risk tolerance increases. You learn to survive (and thrive) when things don’t go as planned.
Key Lessons from My 5 Days
- Pause before weighing in. Especially with family, I’ll check if my feedback adds value—or just satisfies my perfectionism.
- Prioritize flow over “flawless.” Being immersed in the process produces better outcomes than hovering over the “right” way.
- Seek feedback earlier. It shortens learning loops and improves results faster.
- Do the thing now. Hanging the painting reminded me that action now beats waiting for the perfect setup.
- Stay in the experiment. Keep testing, tweaking, and learning—this is the spirit of Bold New Quests.
Final Thoughts
These 5 days weren’t about abandoning quality or ignoring details. They were about building flexibility, curiosity, and momentum—traits of an antifragile life.
The perfectionist in me will always be there. But now, I have more tools to recognize when she’s helping… and when she’s holding me back.
If perfectionism has been slowing you down, I challenge you to try your own “From Perfection to Experimentation” reset. Pick one thing today—big or small—and do it imperfectly, on purpose. Then see where it takes you.
Note: Summer vacation beckons, so I’ll be taking next week off. I’ll return with my next post in a couple of weeks.
