You may discover that problems with relationships, workaholism, eating and substance abuse problems, and other compulsive behaviors (plus the accompanying anxiety, feelings of inadequacy, and so on) actually outweigh whatever advantages perfectionism holds for you.Ģ. When you make your own list of costs and benefits, you may find that the costs are too great. Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of trying to be perfect. This relentless pursuit of the ultimate goal can seriously hinder their efforts.ġ. Instead of concentrating on the process of accomplishing a task, perfectionists focus exclusively on the outcome of their efforts. These blocks to productivity and success result from the perfectionist's focus on the final product. REALITY: Perfectionistic behaviors increase one's vulnerability to depression, writer's block, performance and social anxiety, and other barriers to success. MYTH: Perfectionists are determined to overcome all obstacles to success. A perfectionist employee may spend so much time agonizing over some non-critical detail that a project misses its deadline. A student who struggles with perfectionism may turn in a paper weeks late (or not at all) rather than on time with less-than-perfect sentences. Such thinking often leads to procrastination, because demanding perfection of oneself can quickly become overwhelming. They see events and experiences as either good or bad, perfect or imperfect, with nothing in between. Perfectionists tend to be "all-or-nothing" thinkers. REALITY: Perfectionists often have problems with procrastination, missed deadlines, and low productivity. MYTH: Perfectionists get things done, and they do things right. In fact, there is evidence that given similar levels of talent, skill and intellect, perfectionists perform less successfully than non-perfectionists. There is no evidence that perfectionists are more successful than their non-perfectionistic counterparts. REALITY: Although some perfectionists are remarkably successful, what they fail to realize is that their success has been achieved despite-not because of-their compulsive striving. Perfectionism: myths and realities MYTH: I wouldn't be as successful if I weren't such a perfectionist.
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