It’s easy to think that being a perfectionist is a good thing.
Maybe we have the idea that being a perfectionist helps us to achieve what we want, either in work or in our home lives? It is easy to think so. But, there is a big difference between being a perfectionist and working to our full potential.
The perfectionist will always tell us that we haven’t done good enough. However well we have done, there is always better.
After all, how many of us are perfect consistently?
I had an interesting conversation with a coaching client recently who realised, after some questioning, how much she is held back by being a perfectionist. Since she doesn’t know what perfect looks like – it’s very stressful for her to know what the standard needs to be.
It also became apparent that when the expectation is unclear, she cannot start.
So, perfectionism doesn’t just tell you off for not being good enough, it can also keep you stuck because of the fear of not being able to meet the standards your perfectionist wants.
She has shied away from doing work around monitoring her finances, and it then became obvious why. She is frightened of getting it wrong!
What a delight it was for her to say she was committing to start. And, was open to viewing it as a growth opportunity and ready to develop as time went on.
How about you?
Does your perfectionism help you grow and improve or has it held you back?
If you feel there’s something holding you back from achieving your potential, email me at [email protected] and let me know. We can discuss whether this is something I can help you with.
