In this episode of The 30-Day Year Podcast, Dave and Jacq Conway pull back the curtain on perfectionism: Where it comes from, how it shows up in high achievers, and what happens when high standards quietly turn into self-sacrifice, nervous system overload, and stalled dreams. 

Jacq shares stories from her childhood, her dance career, and her years running big marketing projects, while Dave unpacks the difference between healthy and unhealthy perfectionism, shares the famous pottery class experiment on quantity versus "one perfect pot," and challenges listeners to stop using perfectionism as a socially acceptable excuse for inaction. 

As a funny side note: Jacq actually really did struggle with recording this episode. As she admits on air, this episode on "perfectionism" literally sat in her project management board labeled "Not Done," for a long time, because her "perfectionist brain" decided this one had to be flawless! The irony is not lost on her or Dave. 😂

If you are the kind of person who always wants it "just a little better" and you secretly beat yourself up when things are not perfect, this conversation will help you turn perfectionism into a strength instead of a cage. You'll even discover how Jacq ultimately turned toxic perfectionism into one of her greatest superpowers… and how YOU can too! Tune in to episode 45 now!

Timestamps:

0:00:00 – Introduction & Episode Preview
0:00:05 – Jacq's Confession: Making the Perfectionism Episode "Perfect"
0:02:08 – What Perfectionism Is: The Illusion of Getting It Right Before You Start
0:03:53 – High Standards From Childhood: Tidy Rooms and Tight Dance Routines
0:04:30 – Perfectionism in Dance, Marketing, and Business
0:06:14 – Healthy vs Unhealthy Perfectionism: Standards vs Self-Sacrifice
0:06:59 – When Pressure Peaks: Deadlines, Overwork, and Nervous System Overload
0:09:07 – Refinement Obsession: Why "Rinse and Repeat" Feels Impossible
0:10:40 – The Fear Underneath: Criticism, Disappointing Others, and Not Being Enough
0:12:06 – Managing Perfectionism: Getting Help Without Lowering Standards
0:15:17 – The Pottery Class Analogy: Quantity, Iteration, and True Excellence
0:16:18 – How Jacq's Perfectionism Helps Dave (and Where He Balances Her Out)
0:17:42 – When Perfectionism Becomes a Problem: Inaction and Hidden Fear
0:19:06 – Everyone Has a Bit of It: Snobs, Sound Quality, and Shared Standards
0:20:49 – Don't Let Perfectionism Slow You Down: Action, Iteration, Freedom
0:21:45 – Jacq's Core Advice: Develop Faith and Confidence to Balance Fear
0:22:43 – Wrap Up & Subscribe

Listen & Subscribe:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-30-day-year-podcast/id1784321927

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/62vRq5ODKWTj3ytW92zdiM?si=a7b78e0507bd40c3

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@conwaymentorship

Connect With Us:

www.conwaymentorship.com

Instagram → @conwaymentorship | @jacq_conway

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