Jade's Journal
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
6 Signs You’re a Perfectionist & How to Overcome It
Perfectionism can be a struggle since there is no such thing as perfect. Yet so many people struggle with the need to live perfect lives. Perfectionism is the enemy of productivity. It wastes more time than you may realize. How can you know if you're a perfectionist? If more than three of the signs below describe you, you may be a perfectionist.
What Does It Mean To Be A Perfectionist
The dictionary defines perfectionism as: Refusal to accept any standard short of perfection.
I describe perfectionism as a mindset. You want to avoid the feeling of failure by trying to make sure everything is perfect. It is a fixed mindset and a bad one. Being a perfectionist is in no way helping you get closer to your dreams, and therefore, it needs to go.
In Your Mind, It's All Or Nothing
This is the opposite of a growth mindset. You aren't moving forward or improving. You're standing still in one place, and unless you change this mindset, you will stay there. Personal growth isn't about being perfect overnight. It's about making mistakes and learning from them. It's about improving a little bit every day, so you become the best version of yourself.
Wanting to grow as a person and actually taking action despite the challenges are two very different things. Perfectionism supports the "either-or" mindset. It basically creates the belief that the outcome must either be perfect, or there is no outcome at all. This is a limiting belief and puts a lot of pressure on you that will most definitely not serve your dreams.
You Have Trust Issues
When you're a perfectionist trusting other people can be a struggle (even the ones you love)
You fear letting go and losing control over a situation. Once you give someone else control, you can no longer make sure the outcome is perfect. You have the idea that to do something right, you have to do it yourself. The first step to overcoming perfectionism is learning to let go and trust others with the outcome of situations.
Your Biggest Fear Is Failure
Fearing failure is a common trait in perfectionists. You often fear negative emotions, such as:
- Failure
- Doubt
- Shame
- Insecurity
You don't want to leave your comfort zone because putting yourself out there may cause these emotions. Putting yourself out there makes you feel vulnerable. You want to escape situations that could make you be seen as anything less than perfect.
You And Procrastination Are Close Friends
Perfectionism often results in procrastination. There's a reason they sound so similar. They go hand-in-hand. If you often procrastinate on things that would help you move forward toward your dreams, you might have crossed over into the land of perfectionism. You make lots of list and schedules but you never actually get around to following them.
You're often stuck in the planning phase where no real action happens. But there's a big secret to keep in mind - there will never be a right time to start achieving your goals. There will always be a reason to wait, but if you keep waiting, you'll never start.
Should've Is A Big Part Of Your Vocabulary
Perfectionists spend a lot of time thinking about what they should've, would've and could've done instead of taking action and doing. You have a great plan and action strategy, but you never use it in fear of an imperfect or failed outcome. It's time to let go of that fear and take a leap of faith.
Giving Up Sounds Better Than Failing
This all comes back to that all or nothing mindset. You'd rather give up on your dreams than fail in the pursuit of them. This is a sure way to kill your dreams. You spend hours trying to improve something that will never be perfect (because perfect doesn't exist) You have to start somewhere. No one starts out perfect. Even the expert was once a beginner. You have to be willing to fail and learn from that failure. It's the only way to make any progress towards your dreams.
Before You Go
Being a perfectionist isn't easy. It creates stress and sets impossible standards. Changing your mindset when perfectionism has a hold of you is hard but not impossible. I believe that with the right support and motivation, you can do it. As always, I'd love for you to join the dreamer community where we support and encourage each other. Have a fantastic day dreamer, I can't wait to see you achieve your goals.
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