Are you chasing perfection...or pursuing excellence?

In this episode of the MindfulOpus Podcast, I dive into one of the most common — and costly — mindsets musicians face: perfectionism. On the surface, perfection can feel like a motivator. But in reality, it’s a trap that leads to performance anxiety, burnout, and a loss of joy in music-making long-term.

I’ll share why perfection isn’t sustainable, and how excellence becomes the foundation for a career and life you can sustain. Along the way, I’ll bring in science-backed facts, and offer the Excellence over Perfection Framework that I use with 100% of my clients, to help you in how you show up in the practice room and on stage.

I’ll share five key concepts that can change how you approach your practice and your performance:

1. High Score vs. Perfect Score — why shooting for less than 100% unlocks consistency and flow.
2. Curiosity vs. Shame — how to meet mistakes with experimentation instead of self-criticism.
3. Growth vs. Fixed Mindset — shifting from proving yourself to improving yourself.
4. Inner Coach vs. Inner Critic — why your self-talk shapes your entire experience.
5. Resilience vs. Burnout — how excellence supports a sustainable, healthy, creative career.
   
   

And as a takeaway, I share a practical thought experiment that helps you spot the trap of perfection — and step confidently into excellence instead.

My hope is that by the end, you’ll see that letting go of perfection doesn’t mean lowering your standards — it means pursuing them in a way that actually lasts.

TIMESTAMPS

(04:18) 1st concept: high, not perfect score

(05:43) 2nd concept: curiosity vs. shame

(07:35) 3rd concept: growth over fixed mindset

(10:18) 4th concept: inner-critic vs. inner-coach

(12:48) 5th concept: resilience vs. burnout

(16:03) Thought experiment

Also - Come say hi! @mindfulopus on Instagram, or mindfulopus.com