The Pitfalls of Perfectionism – Part 1

pitfalls of perfectionism

We all know people who strive for perfection in life. People who invest large amounts of time and effort in attempting to perfect the smallest of goals. While some spend countless hours tidying their home, or trimming their lawns and gardens, others might re-write a business plan two dozen times and still not be happy.

The word 'perfect' might have a nice ring to it; after all, it's hard to criticize perfection, and doesn't being a perfectionist mean that the person truly cares about outcomes? No sloppy work for these meticulous souls!

When a perfectionist person has a job to do, we're unlikely to be disappointed by a mediocre attempt. Perfectionists seldom need a supervisor looming over them. They take control and run meticulously with it.

In many cases, however, the downside of perfectionism is that it's a never-ending story. No matter how hard the perfectionist tries, they just can't seem to get it completely perfect. Setting the bar this high requires so much effort that the search for perfection may become even more important than the outcome itself -- getting the job done.

This obsessive behaviour, taken to the extreme, can signify that the person is nursing some form of anxiety or inner fear. The fear might be related to being judged by others, or falling short of their own self-imposed standards of excellence. Beneath the layers of fear is an emotional pressure that never seems to let up.

It my next post, we'll be looking a bit more at perfectionism and its pitfalls. Be sure to check back on a regular basis.

Until next time, stay well and shine!

'As we try to achieve perfection, society changes and we just become more imperfect.'
– Joao Matod


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