Perfectionism is a trait that every person has, and it’s often something that helps them succeed. But when perfectionism becomes a fixation on not making mistakes or getting things done perfectly, it can hold you back from your full potential. I detail below some thoughts / ideas on the perfectionist intervention – some interventions and coaching techniques to help you manage perfectionism so that it doesn’t get in the way of doing your best work. Not all aspects of perfectionism are unhelpful. Consider an air traffic controller, or a surgeon – there are aspects of their role where perfectionism can be a benefit. However, for some of us, we have to work hard to on how to overcome perfectionism.
The difference between the kind of perfectionism that is helpful and the kind that is harmful.
The first thing you should do is to recognize whether your perfectionism is healthy or unhealthy. This can be difficult, but it’s a good idea to have a list of signs that you’re dealing with unhealthy perfectionism.
Unhealthy perfectionism includes:
- Perfectionistic thoughts (e.g., I’m not good enough, I have to be perfect)
- Perfectionistic behaviors (e.g., never satisfied with one’s work)
- Perfectionistic actions in relationships (e.g., being critical of others)
Understand when being a perfectionist is useful.
Perfectionism is a good thing when it helps you to reach your goals. Sometimes, perfectionism can stop you from reaching the goal. For example, if a perfectionist has an exam coming up and they want to get 100%, they may think that they need to study every minute of every day until then so that they can be perfect. This might mean that they don’t socialise with their friends or family as much because they are too busy studying. This means that their relationships could suffer and this could impact on how well they do in their exam because of the stress caused by wanting everything to be perfect all of the time
Perfectionism can be used to help you to achieve your goals. If you have a goal of losing weight, perfectionism can help you to stick with it so that you lose all the weight and reach your goal. However, if you are too perfect about eating well or exercising then this could lead to other problems such as anorexia or bulimia because there will always be something else that needs improving.
Figure out when you’re working too hard to be perfect.
There are many situations where striving for perfection is a good thing: you’re making an important presentation at work, or practicing a sport to get better. But it can also be bad, especially when it comes to your mental health and relationships with others. If you’re always trying to be perfect and everything has to go perfectly according to plan, then it’s time for some intervention.
You have no control over what other people do or say in response to your efforts—or if they even notice them at all. But if someone tells you that something isn’t good enough, try not taking it personally; it just means that their opinion differs from yours! And remember that perfection isn’t possible; there’s always room for improvement and change!
Acknowledge your strengths and use them – a great skill in a perfectionist intervention.
Acknowledge your strengths and use them.
Perfectionists tend to focus on their weaknesses and flaws, which can make it hard to take action in areas where they excel. If you’re a perfectionist, ask yourself: “What do I do well? What am I good at?” Then start doing more of those things! Consider what makes you happy and confident, then go after opportunities that play into those strengths. You may be surprised by how much better it makes you feel about yourself as a result.
However, if you want to achieve your goal and you have an exam coming up then being perfect could help. This is because it means that you are more likely to get a good grade in the exam because of all the studying that you have done. It also means that once the exam has finished and you have a break from studying, then it will be easier for you to socialise with friends and family again. In this scenario, perfectionism can be used to help achieve your goaIn fact, there is no such thing as a perfect person. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s how we learn! So don’t get too hung up on what others think of you—or your efforts. Just do your best, and be proud of that.l
Make sure you have goals for yourself that are reasonable.
When setting goals, it’s important to make sure they’re realistic and achievable. Goals need to be specific, measurable, time-bound and in alignment with your values.
For example: If one of your goals is to lose weight by eating healthier food, you should focus on how much healthy food you can eat instead of counting calories. This will prevent you from feeling discouraged if the scale doesn’t go down after a few days or week because the scale doesn’t always reflect what we put into our bodies.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Accepting that you can’t do everything perfectly is a big part of moving forward with your life. But this doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. Asking for assistance when you need it isn’t a sign of weakness—it shows maturity, self-awareness, and trust in othersA better idea would be to measure how much healthy food you eat such as fruits and vegetables so that way you can track progress by looking at how many servings per day you’re eating instead of focusing on the scale..
Practice self-compassion, not self-criticism.
As you practice self-compassion, you can learn to be kinder toward yourself. Instead of berating yourself for making a mistake or failing at something, you can recognize that everyone makes mistakes, and that’s okay—you don’t have to feel bad about it! Self-compassion also helps reduce perfectionism by helping you feel better about your work and less afraid of failure, which means you’ll be more likely to try new things in the future instead of sticking with what’s comfortable and familiar.
The key to self-compassion is learning how not to be hard on yourself. This is an important skill for anyone, but especially those who are perfectionists because they’re often their own worst critic.
Self-compassion is a way of relating to yourself with kindness. Instead of berating your performance or criticizing yourself for making a mistake, you can recognize that everyone makes mistakes and they’re okay—you don’t have to feel bad about it! Self-compassion also helps reduce perfectionism by helping you feel better about your work and less afraid of failure, which means you’ll be more likely to try new things in the future instead of sticking with what’s comfortable and familiar.
If you’re a perfectionist, it can feel like there’s no way out. But you should know that there are many ways to work with your perfectionism and find peace with yourself. If you feel like your perfectionism is getting in the way of your life and happiness, then it might be time to reach out for help.
