What if the “high standards” you’re so proud of are actually perfectionism in disguise?You care deeply about the quality of your work. You want to get things right. You’re conscientious, capable, and used to producing work you can stand behind. But there’s a point where high standards stop being useful—and perfectionism takes over.In this episode, we follow Cara as she spends days tweaking work that her boss has already called “exactly what I needed.” Her story reveals the subtle form of perfectionism many high-achieving women experience: not obsessing before the work is finished, but revisiting, questioning, and quietly dismantling it after it’s already done.The key distinction? High standards are about the quality of your work. Perfectionism is often about what you fear will happen if the work is wrong.You’ll discover:How to recognize when perfectionism is masquerading as high standards—especially when your work already meets the evidence in front of you. Why unfamiliar situations can trigger your inner perfectionist and make you reach for control when you actually need to tolerate uncertainty. A more useful question than “Is this good enough?” so you can stop chasing certainty and start recognizing when your work is genuinely done. Listen to the episode to understand the hidden cost of perfectionism—and learn how to choose done and good over perfect and late without lowering the standards that matter to you.New episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.

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