The benefits of not being perfect

[littlemissmartypants]

The benefits of not being perfect
Many think that perfectionism is a good trait, but it researchers have found it can have a dangerous affect on mental health – and it’s on the rise

30 August 2019


You sit in a job interview, nervously sweating through every question thrown at you, and then comes the hardest one of all: “What is your worst quality?” Being a perfectionist is regularly thought of as a good answer – you might hope your fastidiousness will help you secure the role. But is perfectionism actually a good trait?

( http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-rise )

[Excerpt* from The Dangerous Downsides of Perfectionism
... the drawback of perfectionism isn’t just that it holds you back from being your most successful, productive self. Perfectionistic tendencies have been linked to a laundry list of clinical issues: depression and anxiety (even in children), self-harm, social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, binge eating, anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, hoarding, dyspepsia, chronic headaches, and, most damning of all, even early mortality and suicide....]

To be a healthy and successful human, you have to learn from your mistakes; and to be able to learn from your mistakes, you have to be comfortable with making them. But in general, perfectionists are not. They tend to avoid making mistakes by sticking to tasks they feel most comfortable with or overreacting to obstacles, feeling more guilt, shame and anger when they do make mistakes.

Perfectionism in on the rise and has been linked by to a whole host of mental health problems including depression, anxiety and self-harm.

*(You can read more about the downsides of perfectionism here: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-rise )

Learn more about the dangerous downsides of perfectionism, by clicking play on the video above. (At the link: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190829-the-benefits-of-not-being-perfect)

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I tell my students all the time their work doesn't have to be perfect, just good.

It takes the pressure off them.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

2. It's a matter of degree and motive.

Like most human characteristics, perfectionism can serve good and bad purposes.

To a certain degree and limit, I'm a perfectionist with my projects and hobbies because I was taught to try to do a good job at anything I attempted. That's partially because I was raised by craftspersons that were top of the line, and back then (50s through 70s) time was allowed to do a good job. That has changed. Financial considerations now seem to control everything.

Over the years in my work, I learned to temper my perfectionism and tolerate the need to finish my work, get a plant back up and running and get back home.

In addition, if my motive of perfectionism is to try to maintain good craftsmanship in my craft and to teach our youth in those skills, then that's a good thing. We can have "perfect" as an objective without being obsessive about it.

However, if my motive is sinister and I'm trying to control others with unreasonable goals, that's bad and does nothing to advance any profession.

KY...........

[True Dough]

3. "Perfectionistic tendencies have been linked to a laundry list of clinical issues:

depression and anxiety (even in children), self-harm, social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, binge eating, anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, hoarding, dyspepsia, chronic headaches, and, most damning of all, even early mortality and suicide."

Sounds like fun!!


I've been plagued by perfectionism as long as I can remember. So hard to change.

[KPN]

4. So why is it on the rise? Seems like that's fundamental.

Or is it just that we’re more open to seeing personal unreasonable expectations as perfectionistic?