Perfectionism is something that gets beat into a lot of us.
Sometimes literally, as you’ll find out from my guest.
Imposter syndrome goes hand-in-hand with perfectionism. You see, when you’re programmed to hold yourself to extremely high standards, nothing you do seems like it’s good enough. You’re not enough. And what if someone finds out?
Now imagine you got ripped off by not one – but two – business partners, and lost all your savings more than once. On top of that, you never graduated college, yet held down job after job that required a college degree, in part because others who believed in you more than you believed in yourself went to bat for you.
What a wild ride – and that’s Gary Frey’s story.
He’s been a perfectionist since he was a little boy, the older of two children. Education was important in his family. His dad almost got his Ph.D. but didn’t finish his dissertation, and his mom was a nurse. As a grade-schooler, he spent a lot of time with his strict, stern German grandmother, who would feed him German food he hated and spank him if he didn’t eat it.
When Gary was eight, his grandmother died of a Stroke. For two years, he thought he somehow killed her, until he finally asked his parents.
In school, he was the smart kid who couldn’t play any sport involving moving balls or athletic coordination, but he eventually found his niche in swimming. He went to college on a prestigious scholarship, finding himself in a fraternity known for academic and athletic excellence, but feeling “less than” the rich kids in his house. Then he didn’t finish college – becoming the first in his family NOT to graduate college. After that, it was off to his career…
As you’ll discover when you hear from Gary, he got ripped off by two business partners. He repeatedly lost everything he had, got used by an employer who needed him to hook a major deal then fired him the day it closed, and had to move to different states to start over.
Perfectionist Gary found himself getting recruited out of the blue by companies who heard about him and wanted his expertise for roles that required college degrees and viewed him as a success. What was he going to do, tell them he had two corrupt business partners and lost millions of dollars?
He said it was fine… and Fine is a 4-Letter Word.
You’re about to discover how Gary emerged from the trap of perfectionism, learned to believe in himself, and the tools he used to achieve it.
Gary’s hype song is “Warrior” by Matthew Ward.
Resources:
Invitation from Lori:
This episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit.
Smart business leaders know trust is the foundation of every great workplace. And in today’s hybrid and fast-moving work culture, trust isn’t built in quarterly town halls or the occasional Slack message. It’s built through consistent, clear, and HUMAN communication.
Companies and leaders TALK about the importance of connection and community. And it’s easy to believe your organization is doing a great job of maintaining an awesome corporate culture. Because you’ve got annual all-hands and open door policies, and “fun” team-building events.
But let’s be real. Leaders who are serious about building real trust are finding better ways to strengthen culture, create connection, and foster community.
That’s where I come in. Forward thinking companies are hiring me to produce internal/private podcasts. To bring leadership and employees together through authentic stories, real conversations, and meaningful connections. Think of it as your old-school printed company newsletter – reinvented for the modern workforce. I KNOW, what a cool idea, right?!
If you run, work for, or know of a company that wants to upgrade communication, facilitate connections, build community, and maintain culture, let’s chat. Message me at Lori@ZenRabbit dot com.
Because when people feel heard, they engage.
When they engage, they perform.
And when they perform, the business succeeds beyond projections.
So, are you ready to meet Gary? This is going to be an experience. If there’s something about yourself you’re afraid people might find out, you might come out of this feeling less afraid.
Let’s freakin’ go!
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