Man, February 2022. I remember it like it was yesterday, even though it feels a lifetime ago now. I was just grinding, you know? Head down, pushing through, just doing my thing. As a Virgo, I’m wired to just keep at it, perfecting, making sure everything is in its place. But that month, something just felt… off. I wasn’t feeling that buzz, that sense of moving forward. It was more like I was stuck in the mud, spinning my wheels.
I distinctly remember staring at my screen one Tuesday, just feeling this dull ache in my gut. Like, is this it? Is this all I’m doing? I was doing the work, sure, hitting all the targets, checking all the boxes. But I wasn’t growing. And for me, that’s a huge problem. If I’m not learning, I’m basically dying inside. So, I decided right then and there, I needed to shake things up. I needed to actually practice something new, something different, to break that cycle.
Shaking Off the Perfectionism Trap
First thing I did, I mean, I actually started by looking at my daily routine. My typical Virgo self loved to get every single detail perfect. I’d spend ages on a report, making sure the formatting was impeccable, the wording was just so, triple-checking every number. And usually, nobody even noticed! It was a lot of effort for zero return. It really hit me that February. I was pouring energy into stuff that didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
So, I thought, screw it. I made a conscious effort to finish tasks quicker. I told myself, “Good enough is good enough.” It was totally against my nature. My brain was screaming, “No! Not good enough! Fix that font! Re-read that paragraph one more time!” But I pushed through it. I’d set a timer for a task and just commit to stopping when it rang, no matter what. I’d hit send on emails even if I felt they could be slightly better. I’d submit reports that were maybe 90% perfect instead of my usual 110%. And guess what? Nothing blew up. No one called me out. In fact, I started getting through my to-do list way faster. It freed up so much mental space. It wasn’t about being sloppy; it was about being smart about where I put my energy. I was actually practicing letting go of that need for everything to be flawless.
Stepping Up, Even When It’s Not Your Job
Then, after I felt a bit lighter from shedding that perfectionist skin, I started noticing things around the office. There was this one project, a total mess, right? It had been dragging on for months. Everyone avoided it like the plague. It wasn’t my responsibility at all. My manager would just sigh whenever it came up in meetings. But because I wasn’t bogged down by my own stuff anymore, I actually looked at it. And I saw a few simple things that could get it moving.
I remember walking up to my manager’s desk, feeling a bit awkward. I just blurted out, “Hey, that X project, I think I see a way we could get started on untangling that one piece of it. It’s not my area, but if you’re open to it, I could spend a couple of hours trying to map out a solution.” He looked at me, blinked a few times, and then just said, “Go for it.” No fanfare, no big deal. But for me, it was a massive step. I wasn’t asked, I wasn’t assigned. I just volunteered to fix something that was broken, something that was clearly bothering everyone.
And I dove in. It was tough, definitely outside my comfort zone. It was a completely different kind of work than what I usually did. But getting my hands dirty, solving a problem that wasn’t directly mine, felt incredibly good. It showed me I wasn’t just stuck in my box. It showed them I wasn’t just stuck in my box. It was a real practice in taking initiative, not waiting for permission or an assignment.
Finding My Voice and Asking for What I Needed
The last big thing that month, and maybe the hardest, was learning to actually talk about what I wanted. As a Virgo, I’m pretty good at self-reflecting, but terrible at advocating for myself. I just assume people will notice my hard work and amazing results. Ha! That’s not how the real world works, right?
I was having coffee with a friend, just complaining about feeling stagnant. And she just looked at me and said, “Dude, have you actually asked for feedback? Have you told your boss you want to grow?” It was like a lightbulb moment, but also deeply uncomfortable. Asking felt like… begging, or being needy. But she was right. What was I waiting for? For them to read my mind?
So, I scheduled a one-on-one with my manager. I remember my palms were sweating a bit. I started by telling him about the project I’d helped with, and then I just laid it out. I said, “I’m really trying to push myself and grow here. I’m looking for ways to expand my skills and take on more responsibility. Do you have any feedback on where I could improve, or any opportunities you see coming up that I might be a good fit for?”
It was simple, direct. And the response was incredible. He actually opened up. He told me he’d noticed my initiative with that project. He gave me some really solid feedback I hadn’t considered. And he mentioned a specific training program that was starting soon, something I would have never known about otherwise, which could open up a new path for me. It wasn’t an instant promotion, but it was like I’d finally unlocked a secret door. It was a genuine practice in using my voice and making my intentions clear.
So yeah, February 2022. It started with me feeling stuck, and ended with me realizing I had to actually do things differently. I had to practice letting go of perfection, stepping up for things that weren’t mine, and most importantly, opening my mouth and asking for what I needed to grow. It wasn’t easy, but it definitely got things moving again.
