How to Eliminate the Negative Effects of Perfectionism

Perfectionism in its most common form includes some negative aspects. I don’t believe perfectionism is bad on its own, so I tried to figure out the cause of these problems.

Thinking about it got me to write an article about aimless perfectionism, which covers the most basic misconception about perfectionism: Not knowing what being perfect means. You have to know what your perfectionism is all about! This is the first essential step.

But it doesn’t stop at that point. Let’s talk about a concrete negative aspect of perfectionism: The fear of making mistakes.

Almost all perfectionists know the fear of making mistakes. It’s something that constantly troubles you if you are a perfectionist. This constant trouble is the base of almost all other negative effects of perfectionism.

What I found out is: This fear of making mistakes is based on a single misconception. Phew, that’s great thing to hear, isn’t it? This means you can get rid of a lot of negative effects of perfectionism by correcting one misconception!

So how to correct this misunderstanding?

There are no mistakes by nature. So what does making a mistake actually mean? Does it mean failing at a test or getting a bad response to any of your actions? Don’t scream ‘yes’ at that point! If that’s what you mean, then you can’t avoid making mistakes! Mistakes are not about the outcome of your actions. I know, it might be a common definition of making a mistake, but the mass is not always right.

So what does making a mistake really mean? It means not acting according to your beliefs in any particular situation. And that’s something very different. You can always act according to your beliefs.

If you keep that in mind you will get rid of some unnecessary burdens, to say the least. You might need some time to get used to this new conception but once you got used to it, you will enjoy the freedom it causes.

Your perfectionist fears will vanish. And most of the other negative aspects of perfectionism will vanish as well. You will be able to let go and still be a perfectionist. A combination that I myself wouldn’t have thought to be possible some weeks ago.