Category: Perfectionism

Daniel thought his relentless standards were the reason for his success. In therapy, he discovered they were also the source of much of his unhappiness. Daniel spent almost an hour rewriting an email. It wasn’t a particularly important email. Nobody’s job depended on it. No major decision would be made because of it. It was…

We tend to think of perfectionists as driven people with high standards. But psychologists have long argued that perfectionism is less about excellence and more about avoiding criticism, rejection and the fear of not being good enough. There was a time when describing yourself as a perfectionist sounded almost like a humblebrag. During job interviews,…

Are You a Perfectionist? You know that feeling when you rewrite an email three times before sending it, or double-check every tiny detail in a project because it “has to be perfect”? Most people laugh it off as being thorough, but for some, that urge to get everything just right never stops. It’s exhausting. And…