Perfectionism is the tendency to set excessively high and unrealistic standards for oneself and others, and to evaluate one’s worth based on the ability to meet those standards. Perfectionists are not satisfied with anything less than flawless results, and they often fear failure, criticism, or disappointment but constantly striving for perfection can have serious consequences. 

You might think that being a perfectionist would make you more productive, but the opposite is true. If you’re always aiming for flawless results, you tend to spend more time on tasks than necessary, or even avoid starting them altogether for fear of failure, meaning you end up procrastinating and delaying. A good example is given here by Dr Andrea Brandt in Psychology today:  “I’d like to write a novel” is a fantastic goal, whereas “I must finish a novel by the end of the year” is a perfectionist goal”. Perfectionists also have trouble delegating or collaborating with others, because they don’t trust people to meet their high expectations. This can lead to missed deadlines, wasted resources, and poor performance. 

How does perfectionism impact you? How does perfectionism impact your relationships? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

In partnership with upday UK.

First broadcast: 20/07/2023

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