I’m not going to lie, managing your perfectionism is not going to be easy. It is not easy to be ‘good enough’ in a world where we only see curated and filtered versions of people’s lives and appearances. But that’s not all. Why would we decide to let something go if it serves us? Was it not the perfectionism that got us where we are? We feel as if that need for perfection made us put in those extra hours. Those very high expectations and standards of ourselves and others that got us into college or the job of our dreams? Why let them go?

Yes, the attitude did get you to those places. But like all other anxiety management systems, perfectionism only works for so long, and it only gets us so far. At some point, the costs outweigh the benefits.

Think about the following scenarios…

Was it worth not launching your business for the last few years, because you could not get the first rendition of your project to be perfect? How many people launched the ‘right’ product the first time?

Was it worth reading the email for the 12th time to find that one typo? What could you have done with that time instead?

Was it worth giving up time to hang out with your friends because you were so focused on looking just right? How would that memory be different if you looked half as good but laughed twice as much?

Was it worth making sure that the dinner table and the food looked and tasted perfect for the party but everyone who helped you was miserable? Isn’t love, laughter, positive energy, and deep connection the secret sauce to any great gathering?

Was it worth having the perfect presentation if your team is demoralized and turnover is high? Perfectionism cannot co-exist with inspiration, encouragement, innovation, risk-taking — that requires a deep acceptance from the leader (or parent).

Why am I struggling with perfectionism?

If you peel away the layers of perfectionism—underneath it, you will find a person who is making every effort to feel in control. They likely developed perfectionism as an anxiety-management technique.

As a child, perfectionists are extremely sensitive to criticism and feel insecure about the love, recognition, or validation they received from their caregivers — and they learned that in order to belong, survive or have a place at the table—one has to ‘be perfect.’

Maybe it’s because their other siblings were good at sports or better looking that they learned to behave perfectly or get perfect grades. They feel as though those achievements made them feel as they belong in the family. Or maybe they grew up in a household where parents fought a lot or they had a sibling who caused a lot of conflicts. The perfectionist learned to be ‘the perfect child’ who never gives any trouble so that they are the “good one” in the family.

Perfectionists learned early on that being seen as inadequate or getting disapproval from others threatens their identity and belonging within the family and so they learn to go to great lengths to manage the anxiety that comes with experiencing difficult emotions that arise from discontent or criticism from others.

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Here are some things to do to be good enough and manage your perfectionism:

Make a list of the pros/cons of trying to be perfect.
Give yourself a deadline to complete the project. Done or not, you will deem it done, turn it in, launch it, or publish it on that date.
Do small experiments with doing a ‘good enough job.’
Observe how you are when you are imperfect — was it that bad?
Evaluate your standards by comparing them to others. Do others get fired if they do a good enough job? Are their kids happy and well-rounded if they don’t eat a home-cooked meal every day?
What would be the cost/benefit of relaxing or ignoring a particular standard?

Challenging yourself to do your personal best is different from getting it perfect.

Have high expectations of yourself, work hard, give it your all, but don’t compromise your joy, peace of mind, your excitement, your inspiration, your zest… and above all, do not compromise your relationships in your aim for perfection.

About the Author

Dr. Saliha Afridi is a Clinical Psychologist and Managing Director of The LightHouse Arabia, which she founded in 2011. The clinic is a community mental health and wellness clinic providing quality psychological and psychiatric care to children, adults, couples, and families. Dr. Afridi has worked with prominent companies and ministries such as The Executive Council, The National Program for Happiness and Well-being from the Happiness Ministry, many professional service firms, and fortune 100 companies in her bid to dissolve mental health stigma and be at the forefront of the mental health movement within the UAE and the region.