The Smart Twenties Podcast

There’s so much fluffy advice about how to overcome perfectionism that we hear all of the time - like “just remember that nobody’s perfect” and “it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks”. But what are you meant to do when you intellectually understand those statements and yet you still find yourself shooting for perfection on every occasion? You do what I’m sharing in this episode! In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what you need to do in order to overcome perfectionism. Tune in to learn the complete 6 step process to overcome perfectionism. I’m also excited to announce that my course Get Out Of Your Own Way, which teaches each of these 6 steps in detail, has now been added to our membership Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. Click here to find out more about our membership community and join us today. In This Episode You’ll Learn: 6 steps to overcome perfectionism The importance of understanding what perfectionism is and isn’t Why you haven’t been able to believe you’re good enough yet How to create

Despite it now being my day job to talk about perfectionism, it was only a few years ago that I actually realised I was a perfectionist! There are so many misconceptions around perfectionism that until my mid-twenties, I thought I wasn’t perfect enough to be a perfectionist. And because I didn’t realise I was a perfectionist, I felt like I was the only one struggling with procrastination, crippling self-doubt, overthinking and being all-or-nothing. Realising that I’m a perfectionist gave me a whole new vocabulary that has allowed me to change my life for the better - because it’s only when you realise you’re a perfectionist that you become empowered to overcome perfectionism. In this episode, I’m opening up about my journey with perfectionism and the important points along the way. I can’t remember everything but I hope that what I share in this episode helps you understand yourself a little bit more. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why I didn’t think I was a perfectionist until I was in my mid-twenties The mo

Procrastination is a topic that’s close to many perfectionists’ hearts and most of us are trying to stop the habit by following advice from others. But sometimes, there are pieces of advice that do more harm than good - especially if you have a perfectionist mindset! So in this episode, I’m sharing 3 common procrastination tips that don’t work for perfectionists, why they don’t work and what to do instead. I hope you find it helpful! In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why blocking the internet won’t help you beat procrastination long-term The practical way I stop myself from getting distracted when doing deep work The reason that changing your environment doesn’t provide long-lasting motivation How to be productive regardless of your environment Why intellectually knowing that perfection isn’t possible doesn’t actually help Featured In The Episode: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - our membership community Episode 7: How To Stop Procrastinating Episode 156: Once A Procrastinator, Always A Procrastinator? Episo

I used to believe - hand on heart - that it was impossible for me to be productive at home. When I was a student, I went to the library to study. When I was an accountant, I stayed back late in the office. And when I became an entrepreneur, I worked from a co-working space. If I needed to get shit done, I needed to be out of the house to do it. That was, until I changed a few important things that made it easy to be productive from home - even after a decade of believing it couldn’t be done! In this episode, I’m sharing 5 ways to be more productive from home. Many of which you probably haven’t heard before. Enjoy!  In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why believing you can’t be productive from home is a self-fulfilling prophecy The reason it’s so important to create boundaries around when you will and won’t work How to say no to people who want to see you during your work hours The power of constraint and why you need to create time for yourself to rest without guilt Why planning your time makes all the difference

I always talk about the fact that personal development is uncomfortable, but this month I was really reminded of that. Behind the scenes I’ve been building our team so we can impact more people - which means I’ve had to learn a lot about empowering others and letting go (which isn’t easy for a perfectionist). I’ve also been preparing for a month overseas, creating business systems and struggling not to hit snooze. I record a personal growth update every month so you can get a feel for what personal development is really like. Spoiler alert: it’s not an endless stream of breakthroughs, aha moments and checked off to-do lists! I hope these episodes make you feel less alone on your personal development journey and that they help you to embrace the messiness that comes along with it. Enjoy! In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why I was snoozing my alarm and how I got myself back on track What I’ve learned about focus and what I’m focusing on right now Why being focused means saying no What I’ve done in my business to

I’ve learned more lessons from Brené Brown about perfectionism than I can count. And I largely have Brené to thank for the progress I’ve made when it comes to the progress I’ve made with perfectionism. So I thought there would be no better time than now to share 5 life-changing lessons about perfectionism from Brené Brown. Tune in to hear about the huge breakthrough that Brené Brown helped me to achieve and learn why perfectionism actually hampers achievement, how perfectionism protects us from vulnerability, why perfectionism is not self-improvement, the connection between perfectionism and shame as well as why it’s so important to dare greatly. I hope you enjoy this episode on life-changing lessons about perfectionism from Brené Brown. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The life-changing breakthrough that Brené Brown helped me to achieve How perfectionism differs to healthy striving Why perfectionism hampers success The 3 tools we have in our ‘vulnerability arsenal’ The difference between perfectionism and self

Where we struggle with perfectionism is where we struggle with shame. While shame is an unavoidable human emotion, there are a few things you can do to stop a shame spiral in it’s tracks - so that’s what I’m sharing in this episode! Tune in to learn a powerful 3 step process I’ve learned from Brené Brown that will help you develop shame resilience and stop a shame spiral. You’ll also discover the 3 key ways we react to shame, how to spot shame in others and why stopping a shame spiral can be so challenging. I also share some of my personal experiences with shame too. I hope you find this episode helpful! What I share in this episode on how to stop a shame spiral has been completely life-changing for me. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why perfectionists struggle with shame and why shame can’t be avoided Whether shame comes from our circumstances or our thoughts Some of the most common thoughts that create shame What a ‘shame screen’ is and which one you use the most often 3 practical steps to stop a shame spir

Many perfectionists consider themselves natural procrastinators. They’ve procrastinated for their entire life and feel like it’s just the way they are. If that sounds familiar, this episode is going to help! I’m sharing whether it’s possible to break-free from procrastination even if it’s a habit you’ve had your entire life. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Whether procrastination is genetic The real cause of your procrastination habit Why it’s important to be kind to yourself as you learn how to beat procrastination The role that identity plays in your procrastination habit The truth about how beating procrastination feels Why procrastination strategies and tactics aren’t working for you The reason I consider procrastination to be the habit of avoiding discomfort Featured In The Episode: Our membership community, Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Sign up today! Episode 26: The Power of Self-Image

When it comes to making big decisions, we’ll often have two voices telling us what to do - one of those voices is fear and one of those voices is intuition. But how do you tell which is which? That’s what I’m answering in this podcast episode. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why your intuition isn’t always ‘right’ Why it’s important to distinguish intuition and fear 5 ways to tell the difference between intuition and fear What I personally do when I can’t tell whether I’m making decision from intuition or fear Featured In The Episode: Our membership community, Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Sign up today! James Wedmore’s Mind Your Business Podcast

If working towards your goals feels exhausting, then this episode is for you! If you’ve been expecting results that you’re not even working for - it’s time for a reality check. I’m going to tell you how to figure out whether you’re doing this and what to do about it if you are. I hope you find it helpful! In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why you don’t have to work harder to achieve your goals How to tell whether you’re expecting results you’re not working for Why we can feel like we’re working harder than we actually are The real reason that working towards your goals is so exhausting A thought-provoking question that will uncover self-sabotage Featured In The Episode: Our membership community, Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Sign up today! Episode 101: How To Rest Without Feeling Guilty

If you’re constantly organising your life - but it’s never staying that way - there’s a good chance you need to create some new habits! In this episode, I’m sharing 3 habits organised people have that you probably don’t so you can start getting your life organised. And if you’d like my support and guidance to become more organised - be sure to join our membership community Perfectionists Getting Shit Done. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The importance of being decisive in all areas of your life The real reason perfectionists hate making decisions Why organised people take action at the first opportunity What to do if you can’t complete a task today Why it’s so important that you stop believing you do your best work at the last minute The personal rules that keep me organised How to create personal rules to organise your life Featured In The Episode: Our membership community, Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Sign up today! Episode 73: How To Stop Putting Things Off Until The Last Minute Episode 97: How To

While perfectionists love feeling productive and dream of being more organised - it’s a reality that most of us struggle to create. If you feel like you never have enough time, then this episode is going to be incredibly helpful - I’m diving into 7 reasons you never have enough time and what to do about it. I hope you find it helpful! I’m also excited to announce that Perfectionists Getting Shit Done, our membership community for recovering perfectionists, is officially open to new members again as of today! If you’d like to find out more about it or join us, visit samlaurabrown.com/membership. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How to stop creating fires for your future self to put out Why your commitments with yourself must be non-negotiable What to do when you feel overwhelmed The real reason you can’t say no and put too much on your plate Why you need to stop multitasking to be more productive Why making strong decisions is essential for time management The importance of creating habits that will keep you org

Every month, I record a personal growth update to help you get a feel for what personal development is *really* like when you’re on the journey (hint: it’s not rainbows and daisies when you’re doing the real work). October was not-so-glamorous and in this episode I’m sharing why! Tune in to hear how I feel about full-time entrepreneurship now that I’m 3 months in, exactly how (and how much) I pay myself, what I’m reading, what I’m doing to grow our business and more! In This Episode You’ll Learn: How I feel about full-time entrepreneurship now I’ve been doing it for 3 months Exactly how I pay myself, how much I pay myself and why Why I’m growing our team and who I’ve hired What I’ve been working on behind the scenes The books I’ve been reading this month Why I highly recommend Linchpin by Seth Godin The importance of play and why you shouldn’t take yourself so seriously Featured In The Episode: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Join the waitlist here Episode 104: My Money Mindset Routine + How I Manage M

If you’ve been feeling unproductive, this episode is for you! Perfectionists hate feeling unproductive - but ironically, it’s our hatred for stagnation that perpetuates it! In this episode, I’m sharing my very best tips on what to do when you feel unproductive. I hope you find it helpful. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The real reason you feel unproductive Why it’s important to distinguish busywork from needle-moving tasks A practical journaling exercise to help you become more productive The reason I force myself to take day’s off Why working less will make you more productive Why being productive doesn’t feel inspiring or motivating What my most productive days look like Featured In The Episode: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Join the waitlist here Episode 75 - How To Stop Working For Work’s Sake Episode 101 - How To Rest Without Feeling Guilty Episode 131 - How To Eliminate All-Or-Nothing Thinking

Have you ever felt like you don’t deserve the success you’ve achieved or been scared others will find out that you’re not as talented, smart or artistic as they think? If so, there’s a good chance you’re experiencing imposter syndrome. Left unchecked, imposter syndrome will make you play small, downgrade your dreams and stop you from achieving your goals. So in this episode, I’m sharing what I personally do when I experience imposter syndrome and how you can overcome it. In This Episode You’ll Learn: What imposter syndrome is and what it feels like The reason that you experience imposter syndrome Why imposter syndrome will make you sabotage your success Whether you should pursue further education to help you feel more confident Why I experience imposter syndrome whenever my business is growing The real reason you’re scared that people will call you a fraud Featured In The Episode: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Join the waitlist here Episode 94: Overcoming The Curse of Knowledge

According to Urban Dictionary, a lazy perfectionist is someone who wants everything to be perfect and has high standards but doesn’t have the will to do what’s necessary to reach them. But is a lazy perfectionist really a thing? That’s what I’m talking about in this episode! If you identify as being lazy or think you might be a lazy perfectionist, this episode is for you. In This Episode You’ll Learn: The difference between perfectionism and laziness Why perfectionism and laziness can look the same Whether it’s possible to be a lazy perfectionist How to upgrade your self-image if you view yourself as being lazy Why I never call myself lazy, even if I’m procrastinating Featured In The Episode: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Join the waitlist here Episode 45: 10 Signs You’re A Perfectionist Episode 57: 7 Differences Between Perfectionists + High Achievers Episode 101: How To Rest Without Feeling Guilty Episode 126: 3 Steps To Create An Empowering Self-Image Episode 132: 4 Common Misconceptions About Perf

Does your personal growth journey feel like an uphill battle? Do you feel like you’re taking one step forward and two steps back? That’s how it goes! And in this episode, I’m going to be talking about why it’s hard AND why that’s actually a good thing.   I’m sharing the 4 stages of personal growth, how to identify which stage you’re in and what to do to move to the next one. I hope this episode inspires you to stick with it and helps you see that the messy middle is where the real magic happens - even though it doesn’t feel like it!   In This Episode You’ll Learn:   What to do when giving up feels easier than persisting Why we stagnate and how to get out of stagnation How to keep yourself feeling empowered on your personal growth journey What to focus on at every stage of personal growth Why we self-sabotage and how to avoid it What to do when you’re stuck in the messy middle   Featured In The Episode:   Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Join the waitlist here   Episode 26: The Power of Self-Image Epi

Every month, I record a personal growth update to help you get a feel for what personal development is *really* like when you’re on the journey (hint: it’s not rainbows and butterflies when you’re doing the real work).  I’ve had a lot going on behind the scenes this month! Setting into a new routine at home, getting the new membership site up and running for my membership Perfectionists Getting Shit Done, diving deep into mindset and more. Tune in to find out what I got up to! In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why I’ve decided to dive back into my law of attraction work and how I’ve been doing it What I changed my affirmation to and why I changed it How I’m working on improving my systems and processes behind the scenes What I’m doing to organise my digital files Why it’s important to develop an identity outside of career and how I’m doing it Featured In The Episode: Perfectionists Getting Shit Done - Join the waitlist here Baiia Swimwear Rich Babe Academy Episode 24: How I Use Affirmations + My Affirmation Ro

If there’s one thing perfectionists love doing, it’s waiting. When we’re waiting - we’re not messing up! It’s the safest way to avoid failure but also the surest way to create failure. Waiting just doesn’t lead to success! In this episode, I’m calling you out on this waiting game! Tune in to hear about the many ways that perfectionists waiting for the perfect time (including some more subtle ways) and what to do about it. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How to tell whether you’re using lack of time as an excuse Why waiting for more money isn’t the best strategy What to do if you’re always researching and never feel like you know enough How waiting diminishes self-trust and self-confidence The best way to tell whether you’re waiting for certainty What waiting for success looks like and why we’ve got the equation backwards What to do if you’re waiting for different circumstances How to stop waiting for your friends and family to be more supportive Featured In The Episode: Buy Perfect Blogger Perfectionists Get

No matter how much potential you have, there are certain mistakes that could stop you from succeeding online. I’ve made these mistakes before and so have my clients - so it’s not a problem if they happen! It’s only a problem if you don’t catch them, which is why I’m telling you about them today. If you want to learn how to build a successful blog, be sure to buy Perfect Blogger before registration closes at midnight (EDT) on Sunday, 29 September 2019. Perfect Blogger is my online course that’ll teach you how to build a successful blog. You’ll learn the strategies I used to quit my full-time job for blogging, build a six-figure business and impact thousands of women from around the world. There will never be a better time to start blogging and Perfect Blogger is here to fast-track your journey. It’s simple - decide to give blogging a real shot, follow the Perfect Blogger plan and build a successful blog. Click here to buy Perfect Blogger and create the success you deserve. In This Episode You’ll Learn: Why yo