Striving for perfection is often mistaken for a high standard of excellence or ambition. However, psychologists and performance experts warn: perfectionism – this is not the path to success, but a complex psychological barrier that provokes chronic stress and makes you put off important things until later.
The main trap lies in the fear of making a mistake. When a person is focused only on an impeccable result, any intermediate stage seems to him to be a failure. This generates procrastination: The brain blocks the start of work because it is afraid of not meeting high expectations. As a result, instead of a quality product, you get lost time.
The negative impact of perfectionism manifests itself in several aspects:
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A constant feeling of dissatisfaction with oneself and the results of one’s work.
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Excessive concentration on small details at the expense of the overall goal of the project.
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Psychological burnout due to the inability to stop in time and recognize the work as completed.
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Difficulties in delegating tasks, since a perfectionist thinks that no one can do it better than him.
People suffering from this trait often spend several times more energy on tasks that require only basic attention. In your personal life, this results in the inability to relax and enjoy the moment, since reality rarely coincides with the ideal picture in your head.
A healthy alternative lies in the concept optimism and a focus on progress rather than finality. The ability to accept imperfection allows you to quickly learn from mistakes and maintain mental health. Lowering the bar to a reasonable level does not mean a loss of quality, but significantly increases the speed of achieving real goals.
The transition from rigid self-control to flexibility helps free up a huge resource for creativity and real achievements.
Giving up the pursuit of an unattainable ideal is the first step towards true personal effectiveness.
Focusing on a fairly good result allows you to maintain a consistently high pace of work without harm to the psyche.
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