Welcome therapists and group practice owners! I’m Nicole McCance, a psychologist turned business coach for therapists. Recently, one of my coaching clients shared something so vulnerable during our session that I knew I had to bring to you. As I listened to her story, I thought “Oh my gosh, I had the exact same thing.” And I’m hoping that as you’re reading this, some of you will resonate with this journey through perfectionism and how it can both cause anxiety AND get you to seven figures.
P.S. Not a huge fan of reading blogs? (I’m more of a podcast girl myself) You can listen to my podcast episode all about this topic by clicking here!
When Perfectionism Becomes Your Enemy
Let me share what my client Tracy shared, and how I 100% related.
Tracy was being vulnerable about her own perfectionist struggles as a group practice owner, and as I listened, I realized I had experienced the exact same thing. When I was growing my group practice, I was totally a micromanager. The journey was hard at times because of that, which is why I want to share this with you. So you can nip this in the butt and actually ENJOY the journey.
I had this belief that if mistakes happened in my group practice (especially at the front desk), people would think “What is Nicole doing? She doesn’t know what she’s doing over there. She’s running a complete zoo!” I was afraid to be judged and as a result of being judged, they would stop coming.
It was really tied to a fear of making mistakes (Hello, classic perfectionism!).
My anxiety looked a little bit like this:
- Constant “what if” thoughts (What if they make a mistake? What if they send the wrong template?)
- Obsessive checking behaviours (emails, online booking, everything..)
- Creating systems for absolutely everything (which was helpful, but driven by fear)
The thing is, nobody knew I was anxious. I didn’t even know it was running me! Perhaps you’re living that life right now – anxious but hiding it under the guise of “doing a great job”.
The Wake-Up Call
I’m going to share something I’ve never shared before because I was embarrassed.
I had an admin tell me she was leaving because my micromanaging was too much. This was my wake-up call! I immediately went to therapy because I knew I was going to sabotage everything I’d built if I didn’t get help.
I saw a CBT therapist and read “The Worry Cure.” Even though I didn’t see myself as a “worrier” (I wasn’t ruminating or losing sleep), my anxiety showed up in my behaviours. In all that checking and controlling.
There was an exercise that really changed things for me and I want to share it with you.
My therapist had me close my eyes and visualize the worst-case scenario. She said the worrying was preventing me from feeling the actual fear of failure. When I played out that movie in my head, I saw this ridiculous scene of people at my front desk laughing at me, saying I had no clue what I was doing. I actually laughed out loud because that’s when I realized.. That would never happen!
Where Does This Fear Come From?
Whatever core belief is preventing you from enjoying this journey (because building a group practice IS the ride of your life!), you need to dig deeper and heal it.
For me, I had to ask myself “Why do I not feel safe to make a mistake?” It wasn’t actually about me making mistakes, I trusted myself. It was about trusting others. But the reality is that once you start a group practice, you’re all on one team. Their mistakes feel like your mistakes, your reputation.
I traced it back to a childhood memory when I was about 10 years old. I forgot to record something on the VCR (Yes, a VCR!) for my mom and her reaction was scary. That little girl learned “you’re not safe when you make mistakes.” And that 10 year old girl was running my adult business!
That belief was dormant in solo practice because I had control. But the moment I became a leader, she had a louder voice.
How Perfectionism Fueled My Success
Ok, that was heavy. So I’m going to give you a bit of a plot twist here. Perfectionism is also what literally got me to seven figures. Did it cause anxiety? Totally. Did it impede my enjoyment? 100%. But it’s also something I’m incredibly grateful for.
Think about the biggest brands in the world like Apple and Amazon. Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos were relentlessly perfectionistic. They had high standards and were meticulous. The phone you’re holding? Thank you, Steve Jobs and his perfectionism.
Here’s how my perfectionism served me:
- My waiting room was immaculate
- My systems were meticulous (which I now share with my Clinic Growth Map members!)
- I created experiences that were different from everyone else
- My attention to detail made my practice stand out
When I sold my business and started the McCance Method, it became the fastest growing coaching company in our industry. Why? Because I go above and beyond. I create an experience that’s different. My perfectionism is what makes me special, it’s my cutting edge!
How to Harness Perfectionism for Group Practice Growth
So you may be thinking, “Ok Nicole, so how do I actually use my perfectionism to help me succeed without letting it take control and impede my growth”. Here’s how:
Step 1: Do the Inner Work
- Try the visualization exercise I mentioned above
- Consider therapy to heal core beliefs about mistakes and safety
- Practice sitting with anxiety instead of avoiding it through busyness
Step 2: Hire A-Players Only
Trust is tied to who you hire. If you have B-players on your team, it will fuel your anxiety because you’ll catch more mistakes. When you hire the most competent people, you’ll have just a whisper of anxiety instead of constant worry.
Step 3: Take Breaks and Live Your Life
If you’re in the trenches of growing your practice and not taking breaks, all the small stuff feels like it matters more. Take that date night, play with your kids, go for a walk. When you live your life, you’ll come back to your desk with the perspective that the small stuff really doesn’t matter.
Your Perfectionism Can Be Your Superpower
Building a group practice is a healing process. It brings up all your stuff, but it also transforms you into the leader you’re meant to be. Your perfectionism – the same trait that might be causing you anxiety – could be exactly what sets your practice apart and gets you to your goals faster.
So here’s my challenge for you.
Invest in healing the parts of perfectionism that need healing, but also embrace the parts that need embracing. Jump on that surfboard and enjoy this beautiful wave because it truly is the ride of your life!
Want more tips on growing your practice? Follow me on Instagram and listen to my podcast for all the best support for growing your therapy practice and attracting more clients!
Your Business Bestie,
Nicole
