144. How writing a book became the antidote to my perfectionism with Kim Payne
About this episode
Kim Payne shares her journey of overcoming perfectionism through the release of her book, Courageous Me.
Today is the day. After 15 years of saying “someday,” my book Courageous Me officially went live on Amazon…and wow, what a mixed bag of emotions. In this deeply personal episode, recorded on the day my book was released into the world, I pull back the curtain on something I’ve wrestled with for most of my life: perfectionism. Not the cute, colour-coded, high-achieving version. The exhausting, identity-wrapping, action-blocking version. I read a powerful section from Part Four of the book, Your Permission Slip, where I unpack what it was like growing up believing I had to be perfect, how that belief shaped my decisions, and the surprising childhood nickname that cracked the illusion wide open. This is a story about masks, overachievement, control… and the moment I realised perfection wasn’t protecting me—it was quietly holding me back. It’s about what happens when you can’t edit anymore. When the stage isn’t scripted. When the armour has to come off. If you’ve ever waited for the perfect time, the perfect conditions, or the “perfect” version of you… this conversation might be the whispering you didn’t know you needed. Key takeaways: o What if perfection isn’t your strength… and…
More episodes of Courageous Me
- 153. The courage it takes to feel something rather than rush to fix it with Kim Payne
- 152. From Shame to Shine: The courage to face what you’ve hidden most with Clare Elizabeth Dea
- 151. The power of being financially ready for whatever comes next with Megan Christie
- 150. Are you really as open minded as you think? with Kim Payne
- 149. Courage, midlife, and writing your own next chapter with Kim Payne and Sue West
- 148. The courage to lead by following your North Star with Anjuum Singh
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Courageous Me podcast page.