Lecture Notes on Perfectionism

Introduction to Hypothetical Students

• Harry and Percy: Two students to illustrate different mindsets.
  • Both are ambitious, conscientious, and hardworking.
  • Harry: Healthy striver who appreciates constructive criticism and learns from mistakes.
  • Percy: Perfectionist who views feedback as a failure, holds excessively high standards, and worries about others' opinions.

Understanding Perfectionism

• Spectrum of Perfectionism: Not simply "am I a perfectionist or not" but where one sits on the spectrum.
• Growing levels of perfectionism particularly among young people.

Why Perfectionism is Detrimental

Productivity vs. Perfectionism

• Myth: Perfectionism leads to higher productivity and success.
  • Examples of successful perfectionists (e.g., Serena Williams, Steve Jobs) do not correlate to higher performance based on data.

Study on Student Athletes

• Study Design: Students cycled for 6 minutes aiming to beat personal bests.
  • Findings: Perfectionists exerted less effort after failing to meet their targets; non-perfectionists maintained effort.
• Explanation: Perfectionists struggle after setbacks, leading to procrastination and reduced effort.

Compromises and Burnout

• Perfectionists may sacrifice sleep and personal time to achieve perfection, leading to:
  • Less productivity.
  • Higher rates of burnout.

The Perfectionism Trap

• Origin: Stems from a sense of deficit; need to prove worth through perfection.
• Cycle of Failure: High standards lead to potential failure, resulting in shame and anxiety, prompting even higher standards.

Overcoming Perfectionism

1. Set Reasonable Standards

• Strategy: Start with smaller, manageable tasks to avoid procrastination.
  • Embrace the concept of "good enough" to mitigate burnout.

2. Accepting Imperfection (Wabi-Sabi)

• Philosophy: Accept the beauty in imperfection and allow failure to happen without avoidance.
• Shift in Language: Replace "should" with "could choose to" to lessen pressure.

3. Reframing Failure

• Perspective Shift: View failure as a normal part of the learning process; it should be embraced rather than avoided.
• Levels of Understanding Failure: From viewing failure negatively to recognizing it as a learning opportunity.

4. Step Outside Comfort Zone

• Challenge: Engage in situations with a high risk of failure to build resilience and confidence.
• Example: Actively participate in discussions or take on new challenges despite initial fear.

5. Sketch Out Goals

• Flexible Goals: Opt for vague, open-ended goals rather than strict SMART goals to alleviate perfectionism.
• Nice Goals: Focus on short-term, controllable, and energizing objectives that promote progress without pressure.

Conclusion

• Emphasizing the need to combat perfectionism and foster a healthier striving mindset.
• Encouragement to explore further resources, including a related podcast interview.

Reminder

• Journaling and reflection can aid in managing perfectionist tendencies.