Good habits, bad habits

I learned the hard way that habits that brought me success in one area could bring me failure in a different context.

In grad school, in my 20s, success required a high degree of perfectionism. Since I'm wired for that, it mostly came naturally for me to spend hours and hours word-smithing a phrase, to mercilessly hunt down and eliminate any use of the passive voice, and to ensure every single word could be supported by one or more primary sources.

I didn't need those skills nearly as much as a nonprofit employee. For years, I was able to use them anyway because I had the time and latitude even though nobody asked me to apply that level of perfectionism.

Eventually, though, those habits became a barrier to professional growth and a real hazard to my health. The organization I served was growing and I kept trying to do things in the same way.

I couldn't keep up.

I couldn't delegate anything (because I was certain nobody would do the tasks according to my perfectionist standards).

I couldn't bring any creativity to the table because I was exhausted just keeping up with all the work I'd created for myself.

Eventually I burned my self out.

Lesson learned:

• What brought me success in grad school would bring me disaster as a nonprofit professional

• Perfectionism has a time in a place (use only when appropriate)

• Delegation is a key ingredient to increased impact and professional growth