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Adam Grant on Perfectionism and Procrastination

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Dec 28, 2022

Guest

Adam Grant

In this conversation, Adam Grant, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and organizational psychologist, shares his insights on perfectionism and procrastination. He distinguishes between neurotic and normal perfectionism, noting a rise among youth. Grant introduces the idea of a 'failure budget' and discusses how to measure success differently. He also explores the balance between creativity, vulnerability, and the pressure of seeking external validation, providing strategies for overcoming procrastination and fostering personal growth.

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ANECDOTE

Diving and Perfectionism

Adam Grant discovered his perfectionism through diving.
His "balking" stemmed from a fear of imperfection, not heights.

insights

INSIGHT

Perfectionism Defined

Perfectionism is the desire to be flawless and maintain a superhuman image.
It leads to burnout, depression, and fear of falling short of expectations.

insights

INSIGHT

Perfectionism's Impact on Creativity

Perfectionism hinders risk-taking and creativity by focusing on predictable successes.
This leads to a narrowing field of competence over time.

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Exploring Accountability in Meditation and Punctuality

In 'Think Again', Adam Grant argues that the ability to rethink at personal, interpersonal, and collective levels is crucial in today's polarized world. He uses scientific research, personal anecdotes, and engaging stories to illustrate how people can find joy in being wrong, leverage the benefits of impostor syndrome, and cultivate environments of lifelong learning. Grant emphasizes the need to challenge our convictions, adopt a scientific mindset, and foster curiosity and humility. He provides examples of individuals who have successfully rethought their approaches, from firefighters to business leaders, and offers practical exercises for improving rethinking skills.

Give and Take

A Revolutionary Approach to Success

Adam Grant

In 'Give and Take', Adam Grant examines the surprising forces that shape success, highlighting the differences between givers, matchers, and takers. Givers contribute to others without expecting anything in return, matchers aim to trade evenly, and takers strive to get as much as possible from others. Grant uses cutting-edge evidence and captivating stories to show how these styles impact success across various industries. The book emphasizes the benefits and challenges of adopting a giver mentality and provides practical advice on how to build successful relationships and achieve extraordinary results.

Originals

How Non-Conformists Move the World

Adam Grant

In 'Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World', Adam Grant delves into the creative process and the mindset of individuals who challenge the status quo. The book discusses how originals manage risk while following their vision, the importance of quantity over quality in idea generation, and the role of procrastination and strategic timing in creative output. Grant also addresses how to communicate original ideas effectively, deal with emotional turmoil, and instill originality in various contexts, including business and child-rearing. The book challenges common myths about success and creativity, offering practical advice and anecdotes from historical figures and contemporary examples.

Option B

Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy

Adam Grant

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Option B is a book that delves into the themes of grief, loss, and resilience. It begins with Sheryl Sandberg's personal account of her husband's sudden death and her journey through acute grief and isolation. The book extends beyond her personal story to explore how various individuals have overcome different types of hardships, including illness, job loss, sexual assault, and natural disasters. It offers practical advice and research-based strategies for creating resilient families, communities, and workplaces. The authors emphasize the importance of processing feelings, avoiding self-blame, and finding small victories to rebuild emotional equanimity.

Grit

The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Angela Duckworth

In this book, Angela Duckworth presents a compelling argument that success is driven more by grit, a fusion of relentless passion and perseverance, than by talent. She explains what grit is, how to identify and develop it, and how it can be grown through stages such as developing interests, consistent practice, finding a pro-social purpose, and cultivating optimism. The book is structured in three parts: explaining what grit is and why it matters, how to grow grit from the inside out, and how to grow grit from the outside in, targeting parents, coaches, teachers, and organizational leaders. Duckworth supports her arguments with personal stories, historical insights, and interviews with high achievers from various fields.

Power Moves

Ignite Your Confidence and Become a Force

Sarah Jakes Roberts

Power Moves by Sarah Jakes Roberts is a guide to help readers live life authentically and tap into their most powerful version. The book emphasizes the importance of humility, honesty, and continuous growth, and provides actionable steps to confront and overcome struggles. It helps readers give language to their changing needs, acknowledge and applaud their growth, refuse to bear the weight alone, and release their power. The book encourages readers to determine their truth without judgment and to live out the truth of who God says they are with confidence.

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According to guest Adam Grant, excellence does not require perfectionism, and rather than obsessing over the outcome of your work, there are better ways of measuring your own success.

Adam Grant is a frequent flier on this show and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 5 books that have sold millions of copies and have been translated into 35 languages: Think Again, Give and Take, Originals, Option B, and Power Moves. He’s an organizational psychologist who has been the top-rated professor at Wharton for seven years. He’s also the host of a newish podcast, called Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, in addition to his other chart-topping podcast, called WorkLife.

In this conversation, we talked about:

Adam’s definition of neurotic vs. normal perfectionism
Why he thinks we’re seeing a rise in perfectionism amongst younger people
Strategies for managing perfectionism
A different metric for measuring the quality of our work
The importance of finding the right judges of our work
Reimagining our relationship to failure by setting a failure budget
The difference between procrastination vs. what he personally suffers from: “precrastination”

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/adam-grant-547

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