What is perfectionism?
Perfectionism is a personality trait characterised by striving for ideal success. For some, this means ideal professional success; for others, an ideal romantic relationship; for others still, an ideal body, being loved by everyone or never experiencing failure.
The positive and negative sides of perfectionism
Although perfectionism allows some people to be ambitious and attempt things that others would not, it often has negative consequences for self-esteem, self-love and confidence. We humans rarely achieve perfect success. Being a perfectionist therefore means constantly falling short of your goals.
The three forms of perfectionism
There are three forms of perfectionism:
- Demanding perfection of yourself,
- Demanding perfection of others,
- Imagining that others demand perfection of you.
A consequence of perfectionism: procrastination
Striving for ideal success often creates stress or anxiety. Succeeding perfectly seems so difficult that we prefer to put tasks off until later. We start doing things when our backs are against the wall and little time remains.
Gifted people: perfectionists
Perfectionism is a characteristic very commonly found in people with High Potential. People with High Intellectual Potential and High Emotional Potential
often struggle to be satisfied with imperfect success.
How can perfectionism cause you less distress?
Accepting that you no longer need to succeed at 100% of tasks or complete every detail without error, and instead aiming for 80%, 90% or 75%, often greatly reduces the pressure you place on yourself. Tasks are completed more quickly and with less stress. Managers and clients are often just as satisfied with the work. For you, realistic expectations also provide the satisfaction of exceeding your goals, which is impossible when you seek perfection.
I am a perfectionist: am I gifted?
Perfectionism is a characteristic often present in people with HIP, HEP or
creative intelligence at a very high level. It also occurs in certain
mental health conditions, such as
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. However, it can also be central to psychological functioning without giftedness or a disorder being present.
