The Artist’s Way: 10 powerful questions to break Perfection

Perfectionism drives achievement but often fuels anxiety and fear of risk. In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron challenges perfectionist thinking to unlock creativity. Here are ten powerful questions to break free—plus my reflections on going beyond perfectionism. (27.3.25.)

The pros and cons of perfection

• The pros of perfection are: Perfectionists are often detail-oriented, hardworking and high achievers. On the surface, they are calm, cool and collected, but underneath, they often hide anxiety and fear of failing.

• The cons of perfection are: Perfectionists tend to use black-or-white thinking, be highly critical, be lack-oriented (pushed to achieve through fear of failing), externally motivated, focused on results (not process), procrastinate, have unrealistic goals, poor prioritisation skills (don’t see the big picture), and find criticism painful (taking any constructive criticism personally).

10 powerful questions on Perfection from The Artist’s Way

1. What would I create if I didn’t have to do it perfectly?

2. How does my fear of imperfection hold me back?

3. Where in my life am I too focused on the end result instead of the process?

4. What small, imperfect step can I take today toward my creativity?

5. When did I first start believing that mistakes are failures?

6. How would I approach my art (or work) if I allowed myself to play?

7. What is the worst that could happen if I created something flawed?

8. How does perfectionism affect my willingness to take risks?

9. Who benefits from my staying stuck in perfectionism?

10. What would my creativity look like if I let go of control?

Answering 3 perfection questions:

1. What would I create if I didn’t have to do it perfectly?

   I’d create microblogs without overthinking, writing 1,000 words a day freely and editing later. I’d paint for fun with my baby without worrying about the result. I’d let ideas flow naturally instead of pressuring myself to be good at everything.

2. How does my fear of imperfection hold me back?

   I don’t let myself try new things I’m curious about, thinking they’ll take too long to master. This limits my creativity and keeps me stuck in what I know. I rarely do things just for fun because I feel the need to optimise everything. I want to be more playful, but get frustrated if I’m not immediately good at something. My black-and-white thinking can be pessimistic, making it hard to find solutions. I struggle with patience, expecting things to happen instantly instead of allowing them to develop over time.

3. What small, imperfect step can I take today toward my creativity?

   Write your morning pages (1,000 words of stream-of-consciousness) to explore your thoughts on perfection. Let it be messy—don’t overthink. Tune into your heart and see what comes up. When cleaning, stay present and silence internal complaints.

Break Perfection by:

• Turn your inner critic into an inner mentor. Instead of focusing on what you didn’t achieve, acknowledge what you have done. When harsh thoughts arise, challenge them with curiosity and invite a supportive voice to guide you.

• Done is better than perfect. Start now, even if it’s messy. Let go of the pressure to control everything. You don’t need to be excellent—just begin with low expectations. Anything finished is better than nothing at all.

• Perfectionists often push themselves and others to be flawless, leading to frustration when things don’t go as planned. Before your day starts, identify potential triggers and areas where you put pressure on yourself. Ask: How can I approach these tasks with more ease (and forgiveness)?

• Avoidance to progress: Each morning you may want to ask yourself:

  • What am I avoiding out of fear of making mistakes?

  • What small action can I take despite uncertainty and move forward?

  • Who or what supports me to take action now?

Break perfection. Book a free 30-minute therapy consult.