To be able to let go of my perfectionism, I needed to get back to the basics. I needed to unpeel the layers to get to the truth of what perfectionism is and how it affects myself and those around me.
Perfectionism turns you into a people-pleasing hustler. You’re trying to control how people perceive you or the work you do. But it doesn’t work that way. You can’t make other people like you.
Being a perfectionist means you’re externally motivated and focused on the other: ‘What will they think? Will they like me? Will they think my effort is good enough?’
Perfectionism leads you down one road and one road only: comparison, procrastination, and overwhelm. It doesn’t help you achieve your goals. It holds you back and hinders growth and achievement.
Perfectionists don’t only set unattainable goals, but they also have very strict standards. There’s only one way to do things right so that one way is the way to go.
The quest for perfection causes some of life’s worst mental problems because it makes life’s imperfections into bothersome, intimidating, and unsurpassable roadblocks.