Your Best Life: Perfectionism—The Bane of Happiness

Excerpt

Ambitious individuals tend to call themselves “perfectionists,” and many wear the label as a badge of honor. Giving perfectionism this positive connotation can hide larger, more deep-seated issues. A distinction must be made between the “pursuit of excellence” and perfectionism [7]. Working hard or pushing oneself to the brink to achieve a goal is the sign of a dedicated individual, not necessarily perfectionism. In most cases, perfectionism derives from anxiety or self-esteem issues, which themselves have been linked to less personal satisfaction and an increased risk of suicide [7, 9]. Indeed, perfectionists have a higher risk of eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and depression [3]. Such a life is riddled with fear and extreme caution. Creativity, joy, inspiration, and even productivity are stunted when perfection is the only option. Ironically, according to Flett and colleagues [5], successful people actually are less likely to be perfectionists, as the symptoms of perfectionism are more likely to thwart higher levels of success one might achieve [2, 7]. …