Let’s be honest, babe.

Trying to be the “perfect” leader?

It’s exhausting.

The polished posts.
The put-together image.
The energy that always looks high, clear, and certain.

It’s not just hard to maintain…

It’s not even real.

And I see this all the time with the women I work with.

Brilliant. Capable. Powerful women…

Completely burned out from trying to be everything to everyone.

And here’s the part most people don’t want to admit:

This obsession with perfection?

It’s not just hurting you.

It’s hurting your community too.

Because when you show up like you have it all together…

When everything looks seamless, easy, flawless…

You’re sending a message.

Not intentionally.

But it lands anyway.

It tells people:

Struggling isn’t allowed.
Mistakes mean something is wrong.
If you can’t keep it together, you’re falling behind.

And now the people who look up to you?

They’re comparing their real, messy, human lives…

To your curated version.

And they’re losing.

Every time.

They’re thinking:

“Why can’t I do it like she does?”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Why does this feel so much harder for me?”

But they’re not seeing the full picture.

They’re not seeing the late nights.
The doubts.
The moments you almost quit.

Because you’re hiding it.

Trying to protect your image.

And in doing that?

You’re unintentionally creating a space where people feel like they have to hide too.

That’s where connection dies.

That’s where creativity shrinks.

That’s where people stop taking risks—because it doesn’t feel safe to be human.

So let’s just say it clearly:

The “perfect leader” image?

It’s a lie.

And it needs to go.

Here’s what perfectionism is actually doing to your community:

1. It creates unrealistic standards

Your people are watching you.

And when all they see is polished success, consistent wins, and endless energy…

They start believing that’s the baseline.

So when their reality doesn’t match that?

They don’t question the image.

They question themselves.

They feel behind.
Not good enough.
Like they’re missing something.

And that’s not leadership.

That’s distortion.

2. It kills authenticity

Perfectionism doesn’t create connection.

It blocks it.

Because when you’re focused on maintaining an image…

You’re not actually present.

You’re performing.

And people can feel that.

What your community actually needs…

Is someone who gets it.

Someone who’s been in it.

Someone who isn’t afraid to say:

“This part is hard.”

“I messed that up.”

“I didn’t have it figured out either.”

That’s what builds trust.

Not perfection.

So what does real leadership look like?

Not polished.

Not perfect.

Real.

1. Share your mess before you turn it into a message

Stop waiting until everything is tied up with a bow.

Stop only sharing once you’ve “figured it out.”

Let people see the middle.

The uncertainty.
The frustration.
The process.

That’s where they are.

That’s what they need.

2. Normalize mistakes as part of growth

You’ve been taught that mistakes are bad.

That they mean something went wrong.

But they don’t.

They mean you’re in it.

When you share your missteps?

You give your people permission to try.

To fail.

To learn.

You make it safe to move.

3. Be real

Your power isn’t in how perfect you look.

It’s in how honestly you show up.

In the way you keep going when things are hard.

In the way you get back up after a setback.

In the way you stop pretending and just… tell the truth.

That’s what people trust.

That’s what people follow.

So here’s what I want you to look at:

Where are you still trying to be perfect?

Your content?
Your business?
Your relationships?
The way you show up online?

Pick one place.

And let it be real.

Let it be messy.

Let it be human.

Because your community doesn’t need a perfect leader.

They need someone who makes it safe to be themselves.

And the moment you drop the performance…

Is the moment everything actually starts to connect.

You’ve got this.

Let’s change the game.

Abi💜