Best Way to Cure Perfectionism: Use Social Media

I have been an exemplary of perfectionism: I take ages to share photos and publish posts because I believe they are not good enough. Yet. I am a baker who kneads her dough for a bit and then sets it aside to rest and grow. But I get to the actual baking much more seldom than I wish to. Because the dough has not risen well, I reckon. That’s been my social media strategy in a nutshell too and social media doesn’t have much in the store for the long-taking bakers.

For instance, I love taking photos but sharing has always been an issue. Many friends have given up about asking for them. Sometimes I take forever as I am endlessly polishing them. No kidding - even party materials (let alone my more artistic pursuits) have been subjected to cropping, cleaning, sharpening, removing the noise and only then shared. When I started actually using my photos for my own website, blog and Facebook page I realized the pressure for perfectionism was totally self-imposed. Especially when it comes to Facebook. I have realized people are reacting to photos irrespective to their artistic qualities. Focus or lack of thereof can provokes equally vivid discussion. Because being perfect on social media is less important than being timely.

Before I quit my job I was working as a strategy consultant. Once I had a project on a client (major investment company) site and got a cubicle of my own on the executive floor of a tall building with glass walls and spectacular view over Moscow. One fine day a board member stopped by and asked me how the project was going and what I was working on. “Competition,” I replied emerging from the piles of reading. I was educating myself on the industry I had no prior clue about to get some vocabulary for the interviews with the company management. “So who are our key competitors?“, he immediately inquired. This was then I first figured there is no room for perfectionism in the real world.

Perfectionism is a kind of procrastination. Very snob kind. So snob that you think you are above it. You have such high standard that I don’t bother do anything below. And as you are staying above and mostly quiet the social medial conversation goes on without you. Some people are saying smart or not very smart things and other people are responding. Because irrespective to the degree of smartness strong emotions and vivid impressions always result in a good photos and posts and receive good response if emotions and impressions are not shelved to age but immediately realized and shared.

A while ago I had some good food at a newly discovered Georgian eatery. Technically speaking the photos did not meet my standard. Yet I ventured to share them on Facebook which sparked a discussion. People wondered about the place and inquired additional details. I felt there was more to say. So I wrote a post and as I don’t do individual reviews of Istanbul restaurants and eateries on my blog I have decided to make it a guest post for Istanbul Eats, a rocking blog on backstreet eateries in Istanbul. The format was right for their audience and the guys were happy to accept the submission.

You know what? This week I got two clients coming as a result of that guest post! Now, this is the beauty of timely sharing through social media: you get immediate feedback and you know that you are doing maybe imperfect but definitely a right thing.