Description

Progress over perfection. Movement over manicured.

Ever spent hours watching webinars, highlighting your notes, colour-coding your to-do list… and still felt stuck? That’s planning disguised as progress, and it’s one of the sneakiest ways we stall our careers. In this episode, we call out perfectionism for the joy-thieving con it is, and champion messy, scrappy, unpolished action that actually gets results.

Caroline spills some of her most cringe-worthy (but career-defining) moments, including mismatched shoes at a pitch, a coffee-soaked disaster, and the reply-all apocalypse and prove that magic doesn’t come from polished plans… it comes from movement. Even wobbly ones.

Key Takeaways

• Messy action beats perfect planning every time, especially when it comes to career momentum.
• Perfectionism is productivity in a tuxedo, it looks smart but gets you nowhere.
• Procrastination isn’t laziness, it’s emotional self-protection. Understand the brain science behind why we stall.
• Every cringe is a clue. Mistakes aren’t failure, they’re intel.
• Clarity is earned through action, not overthinking.

Sound Bites

• “Planning is not progress. It’s just delay in disguise.”
• “You don’t need a blazer and a lanyard to belong. You need guts, strategy and a wobbly first move.”
• “Perfection is a con. Movement is magic.”
• “Messy doesn’t mean mindless. It means moving anyway.”
• “Clarity’s not a prerequisite — it’s the reward for starting.”

Quickfire Career Moves You'll Learn

1. Act before you’re ready – Clarity comes from doing, not dithering.
2. Build your career reps – Every awkward step is career gym for your future self.
3. Treat mistakes as data – Use the mess as your map and move smarter next time.

Tools + Extras

• Show notes, bold moves brief, big starter conversation kit and 'Your Messy Moves Tracker': 

Ready to ditch the pressure to be perfect? 

Hit play and take the messiest little move you’ve got. It might just be the one that changes everything.

Ready to make your next bold move? Grab the free Bold Move Audit and join the insider crew.

Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at caroline@inspireyourgenius.com - I read them all.