What are Perfectionists Afraid of?

A perfectionist walked into a bar … apparently, the bar wasn’t set high enough. Thanks to whomever created that joke. Are you setting the bar so high for yourself that you are getting stuck or finding it difficult to move forward?

While perfectionism may purport to be based on high standards, when those high standards hold us back from producing results, it can slow down, rather than help our progress. Perfectionism is counter-productive.

What are perfectionists afraid of?

Clinging to perfectionist tendencies could be the result of a number of fears. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of embarrassment and not wanting to feel vulnerable can all contribute. When we expect ourselves to measure up to standards so high that they are practically unachievable, we cheat ourselves from growth opportunities that come about from sharing ourselves with the world. A shift in our focus can help us manage the scary reality of ‘putting ourselves out there’.

Turn your focus from inwards to outwards.

If we focus on how our imperfections may reflect on us, we’re placing unnecessary attention on ourselves. By switching our focus to others, we can be more open to feedback from others and use that feedback to improve what we’re working on. We’re more likely to create something relevant to others when we’re open to learning along the way.

“I’d rather live my life knowing that I’m not perfect than spend my whole life pretending to be.” – Will Smith

It takes courage to be open to sharing yourself with the world knowing that you’re not perfect. Instead of struggling to achieve perfection, show your current self to the world knowing that you will always continue learning and growing. By letting go of perfection, you’ll create results sooner and have more time to sit back and reward your brave efforts along the way.

Image by BartekSzewczyk (iStock)