Perfection Paralysis And How To Reduce It

Perfection paralysis describes the state you are in when you are desperate to reach 100 percent of your potential, but you only manage zero percent. Salvador Dalí said that you must exclude the idea of ​​perfection from your mind because you will never achieve it. However, your brain can not help but nourish this unhealthy need.

In the film world , no director was more of a perfectionist and more obsessed with details than David Lean. Thanks to him, we have movies like Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge Over the River Kwai and Doctor Zhivago . However, his obsession with every detail was annoying to the rest of the film crew, because he was so specific and demanding.

One of the most famous events was that he wanted a scene with poppies in a snow-covered meadow. This was impossible in reality. Therefore, it resulted in a delay in filming and significant financial losses. Furthermore, as his cinemas explain, this desire for perfection led Lean to suffer from periods of depression and despair, as well as disagreements with his staff.

The American author Pearl S. Buck said that the desire for perfection makes some people completely unbearable. We can add to this mixture something more, emotional suffering and mental wear and tear.

What is perfection paralysis?

Science suggests that more young people are perfectionists these days than ever before. In fact, research, such as that conducted by Western University , confirms that perfectionism has increased significantly since 1990. The millennial generation is actually closer to this dimension far more than previous generations.

All this costs a lot. It often results in anxiety, stress, depression and even eating disorders. Without a doubt, the most common denominator in these special circumstances is perfectionism. Let’s find out what it is.

Fear of failure

Perfection paralysis is defined by the immobilizing fear of not reaching your own expectations as well as those of others. In fact, when you are contacted to perform a task or project at work, you can say to yourself: “I will give 100% and produce something that is absolutely perfect”.

But what actually happens is that you become paralyzed by stress. Of course, when stress and anxiety take over your mind, you can not be creative. No one is able to work when their emotional states are at rock bottom. Fear of failure stops you, and you fail to come up with any creative and innovative ideas.

Where does the need for perfection come from?

Behind the paralysis of perfection lies the fear of failure and of disappointing others. But why do you feel that way? Why is it that you, instead of enjoying the creative process, are disturbed by anxiety?

There are different hypotheses. These are:

• Much of the desire for perfection comes from your education and upbringing. Many parents actually encourage their children to be the best and achieve skill in everything they do. In the long run, however, this means that you develop an unhealthy self-need.
• On the other hand, there are factors such as lack of confidence and overload of work. Sometimes you can be under extreme pressure and have too much work. Add this to your need to make everything perfect and you can simply be paralyzed.
• Another frequent factor occurs in organizations. Sometimes, when a leader faces the challenge of making a decision about a particular problem, they may face piles of information and dozens of possible strategies. In these cases, the fact that we have to evaluate so much data at once can cause the phenomenon known as analytical paralysis.

How to deal with perfection paralysis

Feeling immobilized, stressed, scared, worried and even exhausted. Perfection paralysis exposes you to a mental state where you feel weakened, unproductive and worried. In fact, it does not matter how talented and skilled you are when you are driven by this kind of fear and anxiety.

What can you do when this happens?

Three Strategies to Reduce Perfection Paralysis

The first strategy is simple. Relax and look at the big picture. Because if it is a mistake that people who are obsessed with perfection always make, it is obsessed with details to the extent that they lose perspective.

Sometimes you get a clearer impression of going back. Furthermore, giving your mind a break can mean you get some better ideas. Therefore, it is a good idea to turn off and return to the task later.

Another basic and important resource is to improve your self-esteem. Self-demand means that you are dissatisfied with your performance. While ambition can sometimes work to your advantage, make sure you do not end up paying for it with the loss of your own self-esteem. Be kind to yourself and believe in your own abilities.

Finally, stop being obsessed with things. Thinking negative thoughts and pointlessly turning things over and over in your mind creates the perfect recipe for perfection paralysis. Stop yourself from entering the vicious cycle of exhausting worry. Do your best to conquer your greatest enemy, the one that destroys your successful achievement and well-being: Your need to be perfect.