Are You a Perfectionist?

Perfectionists thrive on precision. For a perfectionist; the world exists in black and white – it is either all or nothing! Being a perfectionist may also mean that you have a sharp inner critic, and possibly low self-esteem as a result of never being “up to the mark”; you stall doing your work till you are in a frame of mind for doing things “flawlessly”. Living with this trait can become a curse as it makes you counter-productive and hinders your pathway towards growth.

 Here are a few tips to help you overcome your perfectionist tendencies.

1.  Use Your Ideals As Guides Rather Than Absolute

Nothing is Absolute – everything you wish to achieve is relative to your situation. Use your ideals as a guide to help you grow and get out of your comfort zone – however, don’t make your ideas into something you need to achieve at any cost.

2.  Set Realistic Goals

Setting goals for yourself that are beyond your current capability can decrease your sense of worth. It will make you overlook all your achievements and hard work, and make you reflect on the things you have not been able to achieve.   

3.  Foster Happiness Rather Than Perfection

The ultimate goal of perfection is being happy and successful. Conversely, being a perfectionist makes you worry constantly about whether you have done a task right. It eats away all the joy of what you have achieved.

4.  Learn To Delegate

Perfectionists tend to do everything themselves, as they don’t trust anyone to do the task up to the mark. If you learn to delegate the responsibility to other people; it would save you a lot of time, worry, and energy.

5.  Restructure Your Perception Of Failure

Perfectionists are actually terrified of failure. Reconstructing perceptions about failure can help you understand that failure is not necessarily bad. It is merely a hurdle that teaches you to jump just a little higher, or to try a different route, to reach the other side.

It is essential to understand that perfection is only an illusion. Being able to accept one’s flaws and imperfections is what enables one to live life fully.