OCD Recovery: Choosing Showing Up Vs. Perfection

Podcast: OCD Recovery
Host: Ali Greymond
Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ali Greymond explores a core concept in OCD recovery: the importance of consistently "showing up" in daily efforts rather than striving for perfection in the recovery process. Drawing from her two decades of coaching and personal experience, Ali challenges listeners to let go of perfectionist expectations and instead focus on steady, incremental progress using practical strategies like tracking and intentional practice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Perfectionism in OCD Recovery

• Projection of Perfectionism: Ali identifies that people with OCD often shift their perfectionist tendencies onto their recovery. They may believe every day of progress must be flawless—any imperfection or slip feels like total failure.
  • Quote:
    "People with OCD... can project perfectionism onto the recovery itself. That, let's say if you're doing tracking or if you're just trying to reduce, like saying, 'Well, I didn't do good yesterday, it's all over, you know, I'm never gonna recover.' But it really doesn't work like that." (01:00)

2. The Value of Consistent "Showing Up"

• Continuous Effort Over Perfection: Ali emphasizes that the journey to recovery isn’t about never making mistakes, but about facing triggers and doing your best each time, even if some responses aren't ideal.
  • Quote:
    "Every time you're faced with something... it's how you try to react. Even if, let's say, sometimes you didn't react correctly, you attempted to react correctly—and then sometimes, sometimes it just didn't turn out... But there is no perfectionism. You're learning something." (02:00)
• Learning the Skill of Disregarding: Recovery is described as a skill, like learning anything else. You improve consciously and, over time, your brain automates healthy responses.
  • "You're literally learning the skill of disregarding. So you're learning it on a conscious level... But also you're teaching your brain to do this automatically on a subconscious level." (03:00)

3. The Power of Tracking Progress

• Purpose of Tracking: Tracking is not about being perfect but about reducing rumination or compulsions a little bit each day, striving for improvement over time rather than instant success.
  • "This is why we're doing the tracking: just reduce by whatever you can... try to do a little bit better than the time period before, give it that push." (04:00)
• Real Client Examples: Ali references client tracking charts, illustrating that despite setbacks, the overall trajectory improves with persistent effort:
  • "... without perfectionism, with bad days, with setbacks... but the trajectory, it becomes better. They are, in fact, ruminating a lot less." (05:00)

4. Progress Isn't Linear—But It Happens

• Nonlinear Improvement: Recovery rates can fluctuate. Factors like stress, hormonal changes, or intense triggers make some days harder than others.
  • "Some days are naturally can be more difficult. You could be more stressed. For women, it could be that time of the month... Sometimes the trigger is just too high... But just keep going. You will get there." (06:00)
• Consistency Equals Results: Ali firmly believes that everyone who makes recovery a daily priority ultimately sees results, though the pace may differ.
  • "Everybody who shows up day after day with the intent to recover does recover. But if you're not tracking at all... or if you're not making it your priority, then... you don't get anywhere with it." (07:10)

5. Aiming for Incremental Progress

• Practical Recovery Goals: Ali encourages aiming for approximately 25% improvement each week—not perfection.
  • "My goal is to get them 25% better each week. Sometimes people are slower, sometimes people are faster... that you do 25% less behaviors this week than last week. But you can't get there if you're not even tracking right or if you're not even focused on it." (08:00)
• Encouragement to Listeners: The take-home advice is to keep showing up, do the work, and trust the process:
  • Quote:
    "Just keep showing up, keep doing the work. Keep showing up. You'll see results. I promise." (08:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the challenge and hope of OCD recovery:
  "It's all very difficult, you know, and all I want from you is to continuously show up." (03:30)

• On recovery progress:
  "The results won't be linear. But if you compare week one to week two to week three... the goal is to get them 25% better each week." (08:00)

• Ali’s core message:
  "Whatever you don't make a priority... you don't get anywhere with it. So do the work, show up, push through. You will start to... I promise you, you will start to see results." (07:30)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 – 01:00: Introduction; Perfectionism in OCD recovery.
• 02:00 – 03:00: The reality of daily exposures; Attempting correct reactions.
• 03:00 – 05:00: Learning to disregard; Purpose and benefits of tracking.
• 05:00 – 06:00: Client experiences; Progress with setbacks.
• 06:00 – 07:10: Nonlinear nature of progress; Necessity of consistency.
• 08:00 – End: Goal of weekly improvement; Encouragement to persist.

Tone & Approach

Ali’s style is empathetic but direct. She offers both reassurance and firm advice, grounded in her expertise and extensive coaching experience. The tone is positive, pragmatic, and motivational, aimed at reducing anxiety about “doing recovery right.”

In Summary

Ali Greymond’s episode is a call for those with OCD to abandon the pursuit of perfect recovery days. Instead, she urges listeners to simply keep showing up, tracking, and aiming for gradual improvement. Small, steady steps, she assures, make all the difference.