#8 | Messy Action Beats Perfect Planning and Here Is How to Use It to Build Leadership Influence and Get Promoted.

Ever spent hours watching webinars, highlighting your notes, colour-coding your to-do list… and still felt stuck? That’s planning disguised as progress, and it’s one of the sneakiest ways we stall our careers. In this episode, we call out perfectionism for the joy-thieving con it is, and champion messy, scrappy, unpolished action that actually gets results.Caroline spills some of her most cringe-worthy (but career-defining) moments, including mismatched shoes at a pitch, a coffee-soaked disaster, and the reply-all apocalypse and prove that magic doesn’t come from polished plans… it comes from movement. Even wobbly ones.Key TakeawaysMessy action beats perfect planning every time, especially when it comes to career momentum.Perfectionism is productivity in a tuxedo, it looks smart but gets you nowhere.Procrastination isn’t laziness, it’s emotional self-protection. Understand the brain science behind why we stall.Every cringe is a clue. Mistakes aren’t failure, they’re intel.Clarity is earned through action, not overthinking.Ready to ditch the pressure to be perfect? Hit play and take the messiest little move you’ve got. It might just be the one that changes everything.RESOURCESBold Moves BriefBig Conversation StarterYour Messy Moves TrackerConnect with Caroline hereNew episodes are released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.Stuck, simmering, or onto something juicy? I want to hear it. Drop me a line at [email protected] - I read them all.And here is the Spotify Playlist to accompany UnShakeable Her.Unshakeable Her is the podcast for women in leadership who are ready to build real influence, earn the promotion they deserve, and lead with confidence in systems that weren't built for them. Each episode tackles the challenges that shape leadership from the inside out, including imposter syndrome, resilience, credibility, boundaries, conflict, and feedback, while unpacking how pressure, workplace politics, strategic thinking, decision-making, and visibility affect the way ambitious women grow, lead, and get promoted without losing themselves in the process.