Beating Perfectionism

Have you ever been in a situation where you had to have complete control over how something was done? Have you ever worried about the very last minute detail being perfect? If so, you might be a perfectionist.

What is perfectionism, you might ask? Well, Psychology Today defines perfectionism as “a trait that makes life look like an endless report card on accomplishments or looks”. Perfectionism can be regarded as healthy, as it motivates you to try to do your best (key word is try).

However, perfectionism can also be unhealthy. It can create a toxic outlook on life by making you convince yourself that there is such a thing as perfection by achieving success and avoiding failure.

So then why does perfectionism sound so great? Well, over time there have been myths created about perfectionists. Some of these myths are that perfectionists get everything done, and they get it done right.

Debunking the Myths

In reality, perfectionists rarely do get it done. They want to focus on perfecting every little detail, giving it their all. Since that can get very overwhelming, they tend to push tasks back, procrastinating to the very last minute, or not getting the task done at all.

However, that isn’t realistic. Nothing can ever be done perfectly, and the desire to do so just results in someone never being happy with the results. As mentioned earlier, having the desire to do everything perfectly can lead to unhealthy work habits, like procrastination or missing deadlines.

Also, not everything can be done. Sometimes you just have to pick and choose the right tasks and the right opportunities to focus on. ⬇️

Getting Past the Slump

Okay, so we know why perfectionism maybe isn’t the best trait to have, but it can be a good one! It’s just a matter of figuring out how to let it out in a healthy way.

So what are some of those ways?

Well, you can start with first recognizing that you are a perfectionist. Being self aware is key for any kind of self development, so if you know you are a perfectionist and can give examples of how it has negatively affected you in different ways, that’s a good start.

Breaking tasks down into smaller steps also helps. There’s no need for you to get everything done all at once, as that applies more pressure to get it all done *almost* perfectly in one go.

That way, if you break one big task down into smaller ones, you can evaluate your work throughout the process. If something isn't working the way you wanted it to, you still have time to fix it, and aren’t wasting time because you won’t have to restart the whole process.

Another way to help yourself is to develop a mindset that just because something isn’t done perfectly, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth your while. Everything can be looked at as a stepping stone, as something to help you improve for next time.

This is definitely easier said than done, but if you look at every opportunity as a learning curve, then your chances of improving are that much better.

Look at Perfectionism as a Positive Trait

Any trait can be a positive or negative one, depending on how you use it. Try looking at the benefits of perfectionism. It could mean you are actually detail oriented, which is a great skill to put on a resume.

Remember that no one’s perfect! Everybody makes mistakes (everybody has those days😉).

You can take those mistakes and use them as stepping stones. One of Legacy’s mottos is fail fast, fail forward, but we don’t forget to reflect on the failure. What can we learn from it? Take note of it, and you will definitely see progress in the future!