I suffer from a condition known as “analysis paralysis.”

You’ve probably been there, too.

If money didn’t matter, what career would you have? (Where do I even start? Artist? Writer? Dog petting specialist?)

If you could vacation anywhere, where would you go? (The entire world? No restrictions?)

What do you want for dinner? (Well, what am I having for lunch tomorrow?)

With a wealth of options available, it can feel next to impossible to narrow it down, especially with the entire internet at our fingertips. There are customer reviews, consumer testing, comparison charts, and “best of” lists. And let’s not even get into price hunting! When every option has its merits, choosing the best course of action can be overwhelming.

The same goes for facing down the tsunami of “what ifs” in your business, especially for those with a high Excellence value.

People with a high Excellence value are focused on offering perfection, or as close to it as possible.

You sit down and write a blog post, only to think of a completely different way of approaching the subject that might be a little better. So you write an entire second post. And then you edit it again. And again. Do you need to run an A/B test? Get an outside opinion (or five)? In the quest for one great blog post, you’ve now spent a week of working time…and your content strategy calls for doing this twice a month.

Of course, this is just for a blog post. Let’s say you want to run an online course. You need a website. A Facebook page. Twitter. Instagram? Pinterest? LinkedIn? An email list. A sales page. Graphics. Payment processing. Customer service. Maybe CRM software? A sales funnel. Maybe an e-book or a download? A webinar? An ad campaign? And have you even written your course? Is there audio? What’s your microphone situation? Audio editing software? Music cues? Beta testers? Proofreaders? Testimonials? A VA?

It can be overwhelming for any business owner, but when one of your key values — your Voice Values — is Excellence, your preparation process goes to a whole new level. You don’t just want a microphone, you want the best microphone. One round of beta testing? Why not three? If you’re on one social media service, why not all of them?

The problem is, when you want to deliver the absolute best product possible, making the best choice for every single aspect of your process often means you never actually launch the product. It’s time-consuming. It’s expensive. It’s a lot harder than shelving it and falling back on something that’s already out there — or going back to a day job. You can literally spend your entire life planning and researching and choosing the “best” options, without ever making that final decision. But if you can’t bring yourself to launch with anything but the best, you can quickly find yourself with one more step before it’s done…and one more…and one more after that. Suddenly, your Excellent business is out of business, and not only are your would-be clients missing out on what may have been the best product in your market, they’re not getting anything from you.

So how can you appease your drive for Excellence without getting stuck in the Bog of Eternal To-Do Lists?

First of all, keep it simple.

Okay, you know you want everything you do to be top-notch, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything. It’s okay — and necessary! — to limit yourself. Focus on what matters, make those elements perfect, and let go of the rest.

You want your product to be the best it can be, so it makes sense for you to dedicate the bulk of your efforts there — whether that means an extra round of beta testing, hiring a proofreader or a copywriter (yes, we do write courses for our clients, too), or putting in a bit more background research.

Once you have a product you can stand behind, decide how you want to market it. A sales page is usually a safe bet — you want people to be able to read about your course and make the decision to sign up on their own. Any other marketing is going to drive them to this page, so this really needs to shine. Then focus on a few select channels for advertising — you probably don’t need campaigns on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and a webinar and a free download. Choose one or two (or, okay, three), but realize that if you spread yourself too thin, you’re not going to be able to offer the level of polish you expect from yourself. A marketing funnel is all about working smarter, not harder, and trying to do too many things means you’re not presenting your best self to anyone — which is exactly the opposite of what you, the high Excellence business owner, want.

Speaking of spreading yourself too thin, often one of the hardest things for someone with a high Excellence value is delegating.

Releasing that bit of control, letting someone else have a try, maybe even — *gasp* — not being thrilled with the results, it’s enough to make you want to just handle it yourself. All of it. All the time. The problem is, again, when you’re doing too much yourself, you’re not giving any one thing your best effort, which makes your high Excellence value even harder to meet.

Try reframing “delegating” as “hiring a professional.”

It’s possible you’ll still find some faults in the work that’s done on your behalf, but keep in mind that you’ve hired someone who is experienced and trained, and try to let them explain why they’ve done things the way they have. Always try to work with professionals who offer revisions as part of their process, because there’s a good chance you’ll want to fine-tune, and it doesn’t really help anyone if you end up fine-tuning by yourself after the project is delivered. But in case you do need to take matters into your own hands, be sure to leave enough space in your schedule to step in and polish until it’s up to your standards.

Finally, try viewing your expectations through the eyes of your Right Person.

As someone who holds myself to a high standard of Excellence, I know I am my harshest critic. I’ve always been a high-achiever, and if I know I can do something exceptionally, I feel like it’s my responsibility to do that. That said, there have been many times when the need for perfection has meant sleepless nights, missed opportunities, and unlaunched products. This doesn’t mean I’m about to accept unpolished as “good enough” — far from it! But I do recognize that no one expects me to single-handedly do and be all the things, all the time. Even business owners I know and respect have to rework their schedules and reframe their expectations. Just because you’d planned a weekly blog and ended up with a monthly one doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong — it just means you can focus on one great post, which may play to your strengths even better.

It’s not a matter of lowering your standards because “good enough” is fine for some people. The clients who truly appreciate your high quality are going to understand that you need to focus on a manageable number of projects so that you can give them your absolute best with the ones you choose to make your focus.

Think about a restaurant. When you visit a generic chain, you’re handed a War and Peace style menu book, with just about every option and permutation under the sun. Nachos. Salads. Burgers. Salmon. Steak. Pasta. Pizza. Fried chicken. There, it’s all about quantity. Now think about a high-end restaurant — I’m talking James Beard award, tasting menu, call for reservations and don’t expect salt on the table. Often, they’ll hand you a single slip of paper, with maybe half a dozen options for each course. Each one perfectly designed, layers of flavors and textures, paired just so. Because they know that’s the way to ensure every diner has an exceptional experience: create what you can control, make it just right, and leave the buffet to the other guys.

So go easy on yourself, high Excellence business owners. Accept that help, focus those energies. And, most importantly…don’t hold back from hitting that “publish” button.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

Do you struggle with launching something knowing that you could make it even better with a few more hours…days…weeks…months? How do you decide when it’s time to call it “done”?

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Despite what my Crayola-colored hair might suggest, Audacity is not one of my top Voice Values.

In fact, it’s pretty far down my list. I tend to favor a measured, cautious approach. Accuracy is more my speed. Slow and steady. Dot my i’s, cross my t’s. Fortune may favor the bold, but brash and brazen give me hives.

It doesn’t help that our current climate here in the United States is basically a tableau of Audacity gone wrong — an endless stream of entirely over-the-top things said or done seemingly with the sole purpose of shocking us until we’ve become numb to the constant onslaught of stupefaction and vulgarity. Can he say that? Is this legal? Is this real?

Audacity done right, though, can bring a punch of humanity to your business — a spark of motivation, a much-needed laugh, a gentle nod to your fellow outsiders. It just takes a light touch and a bit of self-awareness. A nudge, not a slap.

Whether you’re looking to embrace Audacity as one of your top Voice Values or you’re interested in just a pinch for added flavor in your brand conversation, Audacity can be a lot of fun. It’s bold and daring. It’s loud and courageous. It’s…not for everyone.

Or, well, it can be. You just have to know how to use it.

Audacity is an interesting Voice Value because it gives you permission to be who you are, no apologies. You can be Audaciously non-Audacious — brazenly square, in a room full of dance-party unicorn badass babes. There is a rawness to Audacity, a realness and an authenticity, a willingness to see a trend and say, in the immortal words of Arya Stark, “That’s not me.”

In a brand conversation with a softer, gentler feel, Audacity can help you build a sense of urgency.

In some cases, Audacity comes through as playfulness. It’s not necessarily a no-filter nose-thumbing at the establishment — sometimes, it’s a play on words and a refusal to take itself too seriously. Not everyone with a high Audacity value is comfortable with — or interested in — swearing in their business communications. (And not everyone who lets slip the occasional burst of colorful language is sporting a high Audacity value, though it’s often a sign of some Audacious tendencies.)

Audacity shows your readers that you’re not afraid to be authentically you. Sometimes, that presents as a rebellious middle finger at the establishment. Sometimes, it’s a refusal to fall in line with what’s expected or “cool.” It’s rejecting the narrative and replacing it with something that feels more true to you. It takes courage.

Letting loose a tirade of invective is certainly Audacious. Airing your dirty laundry is Audacious. That doesn’t necessarily make it a good idea. There are certainly businesses who have built their reputations around scandal and feuds, but I think we can do better.

I recently placed an order with Lime Crime*, a company that positively oozes Audacity. At their best, this comes across as vivacious, enthusiastic, and inclusive of customers who see themselves as outsiders or even outcasts. At their worst, it’s resulted in a mountain of complaints and criticism — not about their products but about their behavior. To be honest, as someone who votes with her wallet, it kept me from purchasing from them for years, and it was only after several glowing reviews from friends that I was willing to give them a try at all. In this case, a little too much Audacity overshadowed their Excellence and actually detracted from the humanity of the brand a bit — a heartfelt mea culpa would’ve gone a long way to soothe their scandals, and I probably would’ve been rocking those badass lipsticks for years.

That’s the thing about Audacity — it’s easy to wear it as an armor when asserting your individuality, but if you don’t pair it with a bit of vulnerability, it can backfire, and what started as authenticity becomes a facade.

So yes, I think a dash of Audacity could do you some good. You can use it to spur your readers into action. It can make them feel included and special. It might make them laugh, or reply with a hearty, “Eff yeah!” It’s empowering — for you and for your readers. But it doesn’t always need to look the same, and it should never overpower the substance of your brand conversation.

So be bold. Be courageous. But, above all, be you. Because you are why your Right Person is here.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

How do you embrace Audacity in your business? Do you see an opportunity to be a little more Audacious, or does the idea make you want to hide under the covers?

*Yes, that’s an affiliate link. While I can’t — and won’t — speak for the actions of the company, I can wear their lipsticks without leaving little kiss marks all over my babies, and that link gives you $5 off if you decide to give them a try.

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I’m really bad at awkward silences.

Don’t get me wrong, I love silence. In a house with two girls of pre-preschool age, it’s hard to come by. I cherish every single second of ear-ringingly empty quiet (at least until a cat knocks something over or the baby wakes up). But I’m talking about those lulls in conversation when it’s obvious that someone needs to speak up.

And oh, I speak up. For a textbook introvert, I do a whole lot of speaking up.

When faced with the prospect of an awkward silence, I have a habit of filling in the quiet with every little detail of my life. All those things I’d rather not share? The embarrassing stories? Deepest secrets? Private thoughts? Suddenly, I can’t hold them back.

Do you do this? It’s awful, isn’t it? I’m a relatively private person by nature, but one awkward silence and I’m — to  steal a phrase from every mafia movie ever — singing like a canary.

In a lot of ways, the internet is the ultimate awkward silence. Even if a blog post ends up with a hundred comments, a lively discussion, a viral social media presence, when you’re sitting down to write, it’s just you and your writing playlist/Netflix binge. It’s a perfect storm for oversharing.

To top it off, there’s a pretty good chance you want to get a little personal in your writing. In fact, Intimacy is one of the most common Voice Values for our clients. It’s one of the reasons we’ve left our day jobs, to create a career with a more human side, favoring connections over the stability of a regular paycheck. (Yes, even us introverts.) It’s why so many of us prefer to work one-on-one or in small groups. It’s why we’ve scaled our businesses to retain that personal connection. Intimacy and authenticity is what we’re all about.

So how do you foster intimacy with your readers without feeling quite so…naked?

Well, first of all, you need to be intentional.

You’re bound to share some things about yourself, no matter what. You want to share a bit, if you hope to connect with your readers and potential clients. Especially if your brand features you as a person, it’s almost impossible to avoid — at least without coming off as dry and distant. Even if you don’t have what would be considered a “personality brand,” giving your business a face helps your Right Person understand why they’re hiring you. It makes working with you about working with you, and features you, yourself, in particular, as an important part of the process. (Which you are.)

So what do you want to share with your readers? Think about your life. What areas will your Right Person naturally understand?

Do they share your love of hiking, or will they admire your encyclopedic knowledge of craft beer? Maybe they’re homebodies who would love to know that you knit, even if they prefer a good book for their cozy evenings by the fire. What do you do or love or know that gives them some insight into who you are as a person, outside of your work? You may have a hundred interests, but focusing on just a few key pieces helps create a more cohesive picture of who you are. Start there. You can always share more and build on this as you go.

Now, what’s off-limits?

It’s okay to keep some things to yourself. If you don’t want to share your children or your sexual preference or your health struggles with your readers, that’s okay. Hey, if you don’t want to share your knitting or hiking or beer drinking, that’s okay too. It’s also okay if these personal details become the cornerstone of your brand. It’s really up to you to decide what feels right to share and what belongs to you alone. But decide that before you write a single word, or there’s a very good chance you’re going to find yourself with the awkward silence of a blank page, and suddenly every childhood trauma is spilled out in front of you and all you wanted to do was share a recipe for quinoa salad.

Transparency is not the same as intimacy. There is no reason to feel you need to share everything in order to foster an authentic connection with your readers. It doesn’t make it any less authentic. It doesn’t make it any less intimate. It just means you’ve created healthy boundaries. And that’s a good thing!

No matter what you choose to share, though, be sure to keep it real. If you’re hiding your personality or pretending to be someone you’re not, you’ll be maintaining a persona that simply isn’t you, and that’s not sustainable in the long run. Before you know it, you’ll find that you’re avoiding your readers because you don’t want them to figure out that your public face and your private face don’t match up. You’ll be working with clients who are drawn to this false sense of you — and, more importantly, scaring off the very people who would line up around the block for what you really have to offer. When you choose to be just who you are, it’s easier to communicate, to connect. What you share doesn’t need to be a complete picture of who you are, but it does need to be you.

The other side of intimacy, of course, is listening.

If you’re just spilling what you’re all about, you’re not really fostering intimacy, you’re just creating a confessional. Help your readers feel seen. What do you know about them? Is there something they have in common? Something they’re going through?

Intimacy is about recognizing and highlighting the camaraderie you share with your readers and clients. It’s understanding them and building a relationship — a give-and-take that happens over time. It’s not about exposing your deepest secrets in one frantic ramble to fill the silence. When you’re intentional about what parts of yourself you want to make public, and when you take the time to listen and learn about your readers, you create a genuine rapport.

Keep it authentic. Keep it reciprocal. And, if it’s private, keep it to yourself.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

How do you cultivate intimacy with your readers? Do you have a tendency to overshare, or to undershare?

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