Perfectionism is not a pathology
Operating under an illness model of care doesn’t just carry powerful implications for the way we conceptualize perfectionism, it impacts the way we conceptualize every aspect of mental health. The slightest pang of sadness, a drizzle of frustration—we register any decline in positive emotion with an assumption of pathology. It’s a cultural tic. The
... See moreKatherine Morgan Schafler • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control
I have a working theory that the anxiety I feel is actually a massive amount of positive energy.
It just feels uncomfortable because I haven’t learned how to channel that much energy yet.
When I’ve been able to let it flow freely, my whole body fills with bliss.
stage 1: try to defeat perfectionism thru sheer force of will
stage 2: try to heal perfectionism by doing a bunch of therapeutic inner child shit (also psychedelics)
stage 3: fully accept perfectionism, relate to it healthily, and watch it become a source of unimaginable power
Perfection as we typically think about it should be treated more as a way to focus our attention rather than a final accomplishment that we attain.
Shannon Lee • Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee
Perfection is a paradox—you can never become perfect, and you already are perfect. A perfectionist in an adaptive mindset believes both those statements are true. A perfectionist in a maladaptive mindset believes both those statements are false.
Katherine Morgan Schafler • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control
procrastination is not a character defect; rather, it is an attempt—albeit an unsatisfactory one—at coping with the often incapacitating fear of having our worth held up for judgment.
Neil Fiore • The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play
Trying to get rid of your perfectionism is like trying to get rid of the wind by whacking it with a broom. Perfectionism is too powerful for an eradication approach. When you try to get rid of your perfectionism, all you’re doing is hemorrhaging energy at the opportunity cost of attending to your wellness.
Katherine Morgan Schafler • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control
Olympic champions, scientific breakthroughs, great works of art are all products of the perfectionistic personality gone right.
Dr. Linda Silverman • Perfectionism: the Crucible of Giftedness
If there is such a thing as human perfection, it seems to emerge precisely from how we handle the imperfection that is everywhere, especially our own. – Richard Rohr