Perfection Paralysis

You can't edit a blank page.

- Jodi Picoult 

So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Truthfully, I’ve hit a bit of a stall in my development. Here’s to hoping that writing this post helps me work through the funk!

I’ve been working on a relatively large project. Actually, it’s technically two projects rolled into one. When I finish, I might even claim I’ve completed two separate projects. Is that cheating? Maybe. But who’s counting?

If you’ve been following along, you might notice a theme here: just like HIITGenius.com, this project ties back to my part-time job as a gymnastics coach. I promise not all my projects will have a gymnastics connection! But when you think about it, it makes sense. Projects are often born out of your day-to-day life—the things you know, see, and ultimately decide you can improve upon.

At my job, we track our hours the old-fashioned way: pen, and paper. It’s not fancy, but it’s been working for over a decade. That said, I know it could be better. So, I set out to create something new.

My goals were ambitious but straightforward:

• Accessible from home
• Some level of security
• Simple to use
• A coaches’ side and an admin side
• Free to develop and host
• A nice-to-have: emailed end of month summaries

Sounds good, right? But this post isn’t about the project itself. It’s about perfection paralysis.

The coaches’ side is 95% complete, and most of its functions can be reused for the admin side. By all accounts, I’m so close to finishing. So, what’s holding me back?

I used Google Sheets API as my database. It’s simple, human-friendly... and slow. There’s noticeable lag when loading data. I added a loading animation to compensate, but it’s still not the seamless experience I want.

And here’s where perfection paralysis kicks in. I know the system works, but I don’t want it to just work—I want it to be fast, smooth, and polished. Switching to a new database system would likely solve the speed issue, but it also feels like starting over. On the other hand, finishing it “as is” and fixing it later feels risky, especially since migrating databases post-launch can be a pain.

I’ve heard it said that "done is better than perfect." But it’s easier said than done when you’re staring at something you know could be better.

So, here I am, stuck between two options:

1. See the project through to completion with the current setup and address imperfections later.
2. Go back to the drawing board now and redesign the database for a better user experience.

This post is as much about accountability as it is about reflection. Perfection paralysis is a struggle many creators face. Have you experienced it? How did you overcome it?

If nothing else, writing this out has helped me acknowledge the problem. Now, to take the next step—whatever that might look like.