Avoid The Perfection Trap | Thomas Curran

In today’s episode, we tackle perfectionism with Thomas Curran. Thomas is an associate professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, and the author of The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough.

We tackle the critical issue of how perfectionism can be both a driving force and a relationship killer, dissect the three key dimensions of perfectionism, and guide you on self-assessment to understand your personal perfectionism traps. We also delve into managing perfectionism's impact on work ethic and productivity, especially in the era of social media. Lastly, we provide actionable strategies for high performers to avoid perfectionism pitfalls, ensuring a balanced approach that fosters achievement without sacrificing personal connections or mental well-being.

What to Listen For

• Introduction – 0:00
• What are the 3 dimensions of perfectionism?

• How perfectionism destroys relationships – 11:17
• What do you need to do to foster healthy relationships with perfectionists?
• What first steps can you take to overcome perfectionism so it doesn’t destroy your relationships and professional success?

• Where do you fall on the perfectionism scale? – 20:19
• How do you measure perfectionism and what questions can you ask to find out where you fall on the perfectionism scale?
• How much of your perfectionism is genetic, and how do you manage perfectionism when you have kids who might inherit that trait?

• Perfectionists sabotage their own work ethic because of this – 30:54
• How do you make sure your perfectionism doesn’t have a negative impact on your productivity and work ethic?
• How should you approach social media as a perfectionist since social media can present you with many opportunities for your perfectionism to take a toll on your psyche?

• The perfectionism traps 90% of people fall into – 42:31
• How do you avoid the perfectionism traps so you can accept imperfection, make mistakes, and be kind to yourself and others, so you can accomplish what you need to get done without leaving a wake of destruction?

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