If perfectionism is slowing you down or keeping you stuck, this episode is for you. In today's Thrive five, we are focusing on why shifting your focus to progress over perfection is the mindset upgrade. You need to build momentum and finally move forward.

Welcome back to Thrive in Five, where I give you a quick burst of motivation and productivity in five minutes or less. I'm Cindy, your host, a self-made entrepreneur, busy mom, and a business coach. I've built and sold several digital businesses ranging from five to six figure successes. So when it comes to managing time and priorities in both life and work, I get it. I've been there and I am here to help you thrive.

Let's have a heart to heart about something that looks productive on the surface, but actually kills momentum. I'm talking about perfectionism. You'll wait until it's the perfect time, until you know exactly what to say until your project or pitch is flawless. But in the process, nothing gets shared. Nothing gets started, and definitely nothing gets finished. So here's the truth. Perfection is a moving target. Progress is measurable. The real magic happens when you shift your mindset from how do I make this perfect to, how do I just take the next step? So Let's break down exactly how to do that. Step number one, redefine what success looks like. Success isn't flawless. Success is done. It's that messy first draft. It's that awkward first reel or social media post. That imperfect landing page progress means you showed up. That's what builds confidence and clarity. You can't improve something that doesn't exist, but you can tweak, refine, and grow it once it's out in the world. Step number two, create a good enough to go standard. Give yourself a clear benchmark. Is this helpful? Is this honest? Does this help me move forward? If yes. Ship it, post it, launch it, do it. Done is better than perfect, especially when the perfect is keeping you stuck. Step number three, celebrate small, messy wins. Every time you choose progress, you break the perfectionist pattern, so celebrate the post you just published or the task you just finished, or the step you just took. Even if it wasn't flawless, these little wins add up and they create the confidence that perfection never will. This works because when you focus on progress, you give yourself permission to grow. You stay in motion, which builds confidence and momentum, and that's where the real results come from. Not perfection, but progress over time. To recap, here are your action steps to implement this today. Pick one thing you've been waiting to make perfect, and take some messy action on it. Ask yourself, does this move me forward instead of, is this perfect? Then celebrate what you finish. You don't need to be perfect. You just need to be in motion. Progress is what gets you to your goals, so let's make it messy. Let's make it honest, and most importantly, let's make it happen.

Thanks for tuning into the Thrive in Five podcast. If you found value in today's episode, I'd love for you to leave a review. It helps more listeners discover the show and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a dose of productivity, motivation, and success tips. And hey, share this episode with a friend that could use a little extra inspiration. Until next time, keep thriving. And remember, you've got this.