Perfectionism is not the same as having high standards for ourselves or wanting to be the best that we can be. Perfectionism in psychology is essentially a personality trait in which an individual is driven to appear, to feel and to be perfect - often at the expense of their self-esteem. It's not just perfection as it relates to our grades, it's perfection in all areas of life. That is really at the core of what we're talking about today.
Perfectionism is on the rise amongst young people, and in this episode we break down exactly what it means to have perfectionist tendencies. We examine the theories of personality, our upbringing, links to OCD and ADHD and what it means for academic performance and anxiety. We also dive into some of the methods for minimising our perfectionism, including visualisation, the 80-20 rule, cognitive behavioural therapy and positive self talk to show how life isn't perfect, so you don't have to be either. Listen now.
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