Why Perfectionists Struggle to Start — And Get Stuck in Planning Instead

I used to think perfectionism was just about being really organized and having high standards. You know; color-coded planners, alphabetized bookshelves, never sending a text without proofreading it.

But perfectionism is actually much sneakier than that.

Sometimes, it’s saying yes to everything because you don’t want to let people down.
Other times, it’s staring at a blank page for hours because you’re scared your idea isn’t good enough, or that you aren’t good enough to make it come to life.

I’ve wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been stuck in a start/stop cycle more times than I can count.

Typically, it would go something like this: I’d get all excited about an idea; often waking up from a dream thinking, damn, this would make a good book … so I’d open up a fresh document and start typing.

But after that first spurt of inspiration ran its course, doubt would creep in. The gap between what was in my head and what actually made it onto the page always felt less than. So I’d do what any logical perfectionist would do; delete everything and start over. Or abandon it completely. (Usually by chapter two.)

It wasn’t until recently that I realized that this ☝️ is perfectionism.

Because perfectionism doesn’t just show up in obvious ways like obsessing over details—it’s also hiding in habits and mindsets you might not expect.

You struggle to start unless you’re sure you can get it exactly right

Do you love planning? Because same. There’s something so satisfying about crafting the perfect roadmap and figuring out every step, down to spending an unreasonable amount of time curating the perfect playlist to set the mood for your project.

And that’s where perfectionism sneaks in: You struggle to start working on your dreams or creative projects unless you’re sure you can get the plan just right.

Planning feels like progress. You tell yourself you’re laying a sturdy foundation, ensuring future success. And as perfectionists, we often convince ourselves there’s a “right” way to do things, like if we can just map out the perfect process, everything will fall into place effortlessly.

So we tweak. We refine. We spend hours adjusting, telling ourselves it’s productive. Because surely, we’ll save time later, right?
But here’s the problem: Planning is safe. Doing is … not.
Also trying to think 40 steps ahead can paralyse you, because if it’s a new project, and maybe something you’ve never done before, how could you possibly predict step 10, let alone step 40? .

A perfectionist brain vs. reality

I’ll be honest, planning procrastination is my nemesis.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve crafted the perfect plan for a project I felt so passionate about, only to completely freeze when it came time to actually do the thing.

Most recently I did it with this blog post.

I’ve heard countless creators say that batching content is the holy grail: The system where you work in focused blocks. One day for brainstorming, one day for outlining, one day for writing, etc. It sounds amazing in theory. Efficient. Organized. Perfectionist-approved 🌟.
But in practice my brain short-circuits at the thought of outlining five blog posts in one sitting.

So right now, I’m working week to week, and let me tell you, my inner perfectionist is not a fan. She wants the flawless system. The neatly planned batching process. The ultimate productivity hack.

But if I wait for the perfect system to work for me, I’ll end up with a bunch of half-done articles that never see the light of day. So instead, I’ve learned to gently nudge my inner perfectionist aside and remind myself that messy action is still action.

Why perfectionists get stuck in planning mode

Over-planning isn’t just about “wanting to be prepared.”

It’s about fear.

Fear of messing up. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of wasting time by doing it wrong.

Planning feels like control. Like if you have the perfect plan, you won’t fail.

But the truth is, no amount of planning can eliminate uncertainty. And that’s where perfectionists get stuck; trying to think their way into a guarantee that doesn’t exist.

How to start—even when it feels messy

If this sounds familiar, next time you catch yourself overplanning, ask yourself:

It can be really difficult to push beyond that need for planning, especially for procrastinator perfectionists like myself, because the fear of making the wrong decision or the wrong first step can be paralyzing.

But here’s something I’m learning (and relearning, basically every day): there are no wrong turns.

Think about driving. You don’t map out every single movement before you start the car. You have a destination, sure, but you’re constantly making tiny adjustments along the way; turning the wheel, slowing down, speeding up, rerouting if needed.

And sometimes you might even take a wrong turn. *gasp*
But what happens? You don’t abandon the car on the side of the road and declare yourself a failure at driving.
You course-correct. You adjust. You keep going.

Taking action works the same way. You don’t need a flawless roadmap before you begin, you just need to start moving. And as you do, the path unfolds. You figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what needs adjusting, not by standing still, but by being in motion.

So if you’re feeling stuck, I want you to hear this: You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to start.