Perfectionism is a thief, and it preys especially on Black business owners. We often feel the cultural and societal pressure to be flawless—to deliver the absolute best, every time. We know society expects us to work twice as hard to be considered half as good, so we strive for perfection as a form of protection. It’s the way we’ve been taught to prove our value and maintain our sense of belonging.

But here’s the hard truth: perfectionism isn’t protecting us; it’s holding us back. It keeps us in cycles of endless preparation and tweaking, and it stops us from taking the fast and bold actions we need to get ahead.

For many of us, holding out for perfection is a way to avoid taking risks. It’s staying in our comfort zone and avoiding rejection. Perfectionism helps us avoid the vulnerability that comes with putting ourselves and our ideas out there before they’re fully formed. It gives us a false sense that we’re waiting for “just the right time” to launch our idea – when we feel comfortable.

But here’s the kicker – the ideas in your comfort zone will most certainly die.

If you want to succeed, you must be willing to get uncomfortable – really uncomfortable. You’ve got to show up, flaws and all. Because the path to success isn’t paved with perfect steps; it’s built on taking imperfect action and learning as you go. The quicker you launch, the quicker you learn, and the quicker you grow.

So here are 3 tips for ditching procrastination so you can see your ideas come to life.

Tip 1: Birth the Ugly Baby.
No more waiting for the perfect moment to launch. Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time. So go ahead and put that “ugly baby” idea you’ve been holding onto out there. Your business idea or goal doesn’t have to be perfect to succeed, but it does have to be launched if it’s ever going to succeed. Hush the voice that wants to make you believe that your product or service will be rejected, overlooked, or ignored if it isn’t perfect. Go public and let the market tell you what it wants and adjust accordingly. You don’t need every bell and whistle – you just need to start.

Tip 2: Perfection is the Enemy of Profit
The more time you spend perfecting, the more money you’re losing. Every minute you spend fine-tuning, someone else is making money with something that’s just “good enough.” If you keep waiting until everything is flawless, you’ll miss opportunities to generate revenue, outpace competition, and capture valuable market share. Perfection is an unattainable illusion. Launch now; improve as you go.

Tip 3: You’re Gonna ‘Eff Up,’ So ‘Eff Up’ Fast
As much as we hate it, failure is an important part of our journey. Perfectionism – the fear of failing – keeps us from learning the important lessons that accelerate our growth. Failures offer experience that no amount of reading or planning can give. So, it’s important to remember that your failures aren’t a negative reflection of your capabilities. They are necessary to make you sharper. The quicker you fail, the quicker you learn, and the quicker you grow.

Launch, learn, adapt, repeat. That’s how you turn failures into strength – by quickly embracing the messes you make and using them to propel yourself and your business forward.

Ultimately, the progress you want to experience and the profits you want to see can only come from action. They cannot come from perfect inaction. Let go of the illusion that everything needs to be polished before you take the first step. Start today – do it boldly. Do it ugly. Do it afraid.

But do it.

Dr. Rhonda Alexander has over 30 years of experience leading teams and growing businesses. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, 7 Dirty Secrets of a Strong Black Woman.