Perfectionism's pros and cons

[kenny]

I experience both the pros and cons.
Anyone else here?

Interesting read:

Disentangling the Common Variance of Perfectionistic Strivings and Perfectionistic Concerns: A Bifactor Model of Perfectionism

Perfectionism nowadays is frequently understood as a multidimensional personality trait with two higher-order dimensions of perfectionistic strivings and perfectionistic concerns. While perfectionistic concerns are robustly found to correlate with negative ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[missy]

I used to be a perfectionist but I had to let that go as I got older. I realized there was no possible way to continue being "perfect" (health issues cropped up and I had to let go of "perfect") and that "perfect is the enemy of good enough". And I feel so much lighter since I did that. I didn't realize how adversely it was affecting me.

Do I still have tendencies of perfectionism? Yes. I cannot be perfect about letting the perfectionism go lol.
But I am a work in progress and truly have let most of my perfectionistic tendencies go.
It wasn't easy but it was necessary for my mental health. My OCD tendencies have diminished and I have a different perspective on life. It was freeing letting perfectionism go. Bye bye. Don't miss ya.

"Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor"

 

[lyra]

Yes. And no. I've been known as a perfectionist and I hate that actually, because my dad was a mean perfectionist. I notice it in my daughters too, who both have ADHD. I can't for the life of me not point out flaws in "things". Not people, but things. It's a curse I think.

 

[Karl_K]

I am perfect, even when I say meh whatever I do it perfectly,

 

[MissGotRocks]

I always say I can see the flaws before the beauty and it truly is a curse! We all know deep down that perfect doesn't exist but . . . if you crave it, you'll die trying!

Thank goodness age mellows all of this a bit just in time to save what sanity you have left - lol!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

im pretty sure i know nothing about being or trying to be perfect

 

[dk168]

I am not perfect, however, I would like to believe I am more perfect than most.

DK

 

[canuk-gal]

im pretty sure i know nothing about being or trying to be perfect

Agreed. I don't even know how it would be executed or performed. But excellence is not bad.

 

[Lookinagain]

Agreed. I don't even know how it would be executed or performed. But excellence is not bad.

I agree. Striving for perfect, you will pretty much always fail. Striving for excellence is attainable. I don't think I'm a perfectionist, but I think I'm picky about certain things. Maybe a bit of OCD. Can't stand a picture on the wall that isn't straight. But don't care if when i clean the house, I say to myself "that's good enough".....

 

[LilAlex]

It's 100% context-dependent. I don't have to be 2" from the curb when I parallel park. But before I send an email to a couple hundred recipients, I proof-read if over and over. I enjoy a flawless finish on some gems and jewelry pieces -- and I also enjoy the imperfections confirming that something has been made by human hands.

After looking at my yard or wardrobe, you would not suspect me of being a perfectionist.

But: like @Lookinagain, I despise crooked pictures! And I do like the tray-table latch to be fully N/S when I fly.

 

[canuk-gal]

It's 100% context-dependent. I don't have to be 2" from the curb when I parallel park. But before I send an email to a couple hundred recipients, I proof-read if over and over. I enjoy a flawless finish on some gems and jewelry pieces -- and I also enjoy the imperfections confirming that something has been made by human hands.

After looking at my yard or wardrobe, you would not suspect me of being a perfectionist.

But: like @Lookinagain, I despise crooked pictures! And I do like the tray-table latch to be fully N/S when I fly.

WELL no one here can be that close to a curb-- bc we have SO many huge POTHOLES! We just park a half metre away and call it a day.