When perfectionism makes you a better creative, and when it doesn’t

renald’s biggest piece of advice to anyone trying to deal with their perfectionism is to “figure out what matters and what doesn’t”. He touches on the mental health benefits of letting go. “I think there’s just a benefit to peace. Up until a couple years ago, I was just stressed all the time, about things not going my way, not getting the outcome I... See more

As creatives, hopefully we can find the balance between mistakes and perfection, so we can be productive and enjoy the work.”

renald sees his own studio as a “representation of us [...] so we have to get that right. And if it’s not up to par, it’s our fault.”

renald agrees that perfectionism can be a useful power-up at times. “What I learned recently is there’s a time and a place for perfectionism,” he says. “And that time is self-initiated projects, because you’re investing in yourself. If you can hone that perfectionism and still put something out on time, it makes the world of difference.”

“It can feel both liberating and daunting to let go,” Mel says, “because letting go can often be confused with giving up.”

renald says he only realised he was going too far when he saw other designers with the same trait obsessing over a small detail in a meeting. “I was like, ‘oh wow that’s what that looks like?!’ Getting that perspective from the outside really helped me because I was like, I’m supposed to agree with you but you’re coming off like an asshole.” renald... See more

“Regularly check in, get grounded and remember the original vision and goals. Set and maintain boundaries: What am I trying to achieve? When can it be enough? When is it ok to call it a day? It’s a really difficult task for creatives to do, but discipline is a skill that can be learned.”