Perfectionism and How to Overcome It
Originally Posted on:https://clivereedbooks.com/perfectionism/
Perfectionism has apparently been seen as an optimistic quality that enhances your prospects of accomplishments. Still, it can reach self-sabotaging decisions or actions that make it more challenging to achieve an objective. In fact, perfectionism can also generate nervousness, anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. People who endeavor for perfection out of emotions of shortcoming or negligence may find it healthful to articulate with a therapist. This can usually help an individual to manage unnecessary self-regret or criticism. Therefore, let’s take a step forward to see what is perfectionism and how to overcome it.
What Is Perfectionism?
Perfectionism is the urge to be or resemble to be perfect or accept that it’s potential to gain perfection. One could use the phrase “healthy perfectionism” to explain or justify perfectionistic action. But, in reality, perfectionism is a personality feature that makes life seem like an incessant report card. Actually, perfectionists sense that they are constantly and perpetually rated on their accomplishments. This can reach further with their appearance, structure, and just about everything else.
How to Recognize If a Person Is a Perfectionist?
There is nothing awkward with someone having great standards been productive. But, the problem appears when these standards are too unusual until they can really obstruct the way of your daily activities and satisfaction of life. However, high-succeeders encourage themselves to do their best. And, perfectionists are driven by anxiety and uncertainty, deadened by the notion of defeat.
Generally, the ones who are perfectionists, consider that nothing they do is useful unless it is perfect. Rather than being exultant of their development, learning, or diligence, they might continually compare their work to that of others or focus on obtaining impeccable output.
In addition, children with extremely judgmental parents who appear to regard their parents as anticipating them to be perfect also show a higher possibility of indicating perfectionistic characteristics. Furthermore, a child’s personality also plays an important role, with children who are profoundly sensitive and inclined to nervousness are becoming more likely to manifest perfectionism.
However, people with perfectionistic qualities get their desired results, and they may still be disappointed. They may feel that they would not have had to strive so hard to reach their intentions if they genuinely were perfect.
In addition, we have discussed in-depth perfectionist traits in our highly user-rated book on How to Overcome Perfectionism and you could refer to that if you need to learn more.
Common Behavioral Patterns Of Perfectionism
- Being self-deprecating, nervous, and easily agitated.
- Consuming a very long time than required in writing and rewriting a two-sentence text.
- Considering that losing two marks on a test is a complete failure.
- Unable to be happy for others who are successful.
- Someone is confining themself to the norms of others’ achievements.
- Distinguishing oneself antagonistically and impractically to others.
- Dodging a class or bypassing a task is inefficient to attempt unless perfection can be accomplished.
- Concentrating on the outcome rather than the means of knowledge.
- Hesitate to play a game or try a new activity with the company, worrying about being perfect.
- Procrastinating and withdrawing from stressful situations or complex responsibilities.
- Being emotionally shielded and socially frustrated.
- Encountering headaches or other physical illnesses when they function below the expectations of themselves or others.
Causes of Perfectionism
Someone with a history of outstanding achievements sometimes feels an overpowering weight to exist up to their past successes. Usually, this often guides us to retain perfectionistic responses. Children who get constantly appreciated for their achievements may sense stress to keep succeeding as they age, which can also cause perfectionistic tendencies. In addition, the following factors can cause perfectionism in a person:
- Persistent fear of criticism from others or feelings of uncertainty and insufficiency.
- Mental health concerns like anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While a correlation between OCD and perfectionism has existed, not all people with perfectionism have OCD, and not all people with OCD are perfectionists.
- Owning a parent who shows perfectionistic behavior or shows condemnation when their children’s attempts do not succeed in perfection.
- An insecure past bond. People who had a disturbed attachment with parents when they were young may undergo trouble self-soothing as grown-ups. They may have difficulty admitting a good consequence as good if it’s not perfect.
Effective Ways That You Can Try to Overcome Perfectionism
Nothing is impossible with great willpower and effort. Therefore, you can try these steps to subdue perfectionism if you believe that you or a loved one is undergoing any traits of a perfectionist personality. Reviving and regaining self-esteem and balance is not that difficult if you give it a try.
Hierarchize self-care and reinvest in yourself.
Start loving yourself in the first place. Immerse in therapy, re-join with that old hobby, and resume reading so that you can take better care of yourself and others.
Build more practical personal aims and suppositions.
Remember that you are already enough, and you don’t need to be perfect to maintain making improvements towards your goals. By establishing more pragmatic goals, you’ll kill excess energy to strive for the impracticable and have a more well-balanced lifestyle.
Identify that time off is not time dissipated.
It’s simple to look at leisure as a loss of time when you’re in the mindset of an overwhelming perfectionist. However, it’s crucial to remember that sleeping and being involved in jovial activities is a wholesome and essential way of stimulating your motive. Exercise using the time to unwind and restore yourself so that you can proceed with tracking your aspirations.
Question your inner critic and fight cynical thoughts.
It’s necessary to use salutary rewards and assertive feedback to accomplish your intentions. Do not let your inner voice devastate your emotional well-being. Eliminate negativity, magnify your inspiration, and support optimism and love to drive you on the road to success and accomplishment.
Have faith in the timing.
Just imagine what you go through when you have to submit an assignment or complete a project. You’ll stay up all night and work hard and will finish that on time. Practice that instinct to feel more guarded when you get overwhelmed. There’s no need to panic when your history shows that you’ll endure.
Do not be afraid to say no.
Perfectionists often grapple with saying no to new possibilities due to their high spirit. However, establishing firm boundaries is the best thing that drives abiding energy. Avoid taking on additional responsibilities that aren’t undeviatingly linked with your intensity. Therefore, you can focus on your well-being and proceed to work on what actually matters.
Take a vacation or plan a getaway.
Spending time in new environments will enable you to break free from mental trauma. When you visit new areas, you actively purify yourself, And you will be able to discharge the emotional and mental pressure that comes from operating too hard for too long in the same background.
Try not to expect others to the same level as you.
When everything you do is perfect, it’s easy to stumble into the pit of assuming others to perform at that same standard. Regrettably, or providentially, depending on your view, the rest of the world isn’t connected like you. The earlier you can improve your expectations, the more swiftly you’ll get rid of your trauma.
Quit consuming your time by multitasking.
At the end of the day, your ultimate goal is to protect your mind from draining. You believe that you’re exempt from the multitasking law, but you’re actually not. Therefore, stop attempting to do so many things simultaneously. It not only dissipates energy but also diminishes efficiency and confuses memory. In addition, it also generates more tension which you already have.
Practicing meditation or yoga will help the proximity of the mind to stay with you throughout the day.
Program breaks and restores.
Rather than taking a break when it feels right, move a step ahead and practice tranquility. In fact, this is one of the most effective ways to overcome perfectionism. Imagine your life if you gave serenity even half the energy you put into other efforts.
Perfectionism will not become a life-threatening issue once you recognize it starts working on it immediately. Achieving a great life while overcoming the obstacles favorably is what we expect you to have. So, we hope you gathered something meaningful to your lives from this article. And, if you need to dive deep into this subject with case studies, professional advice, and much more, we kindly request you to refer to our book which is recommended by many users.
