Procrastinated perfectionists may never feel perfectly ready, hindering progress towards goals.
Distinguish between restoration and punishment to recognize behaviors that truly restore you versus self-sabotage.
Deep dives
Perfectionism and Procrastination
Perfectionism can lead to procrastination, where individuals wait for the perfect conditions to start a task, which may never happen. Procrastinated perfectionists are thoughtful and prepared, but their pursuit of perfection can lead to not executing due to never feeling perfectly ready. Don't let the quest for perfection hinder your progress towards your goals.
Restoration vs. Punishment
Distinguishing between restoration and punishment is crucial. Restoration feels good and aims to comfort, while punishment creates negative feelings. It's important to recognize behaviors that actually restore you versus those that are forms of self-sabotage.
Healthy vs. Maladaptive Perfectionism
Ask yourself two key questions to assess if your perfectionism is healthy: How are you striving and why? Maladaptive perfectionism hurts you or others and stems from seeking external validation through achievements. Understanding the motives behind your perfectionism can guide you towards healthier striving.
Upcoming Episode with Gretchen Rubin
Stay tuned for the upcoming episode featuring Gretchen Rubin, a Yale-educated former attorney and New York Times best-selling author. Subscribe and don't miss out on insights and wisdom from this brilliant guest.
#437: Do you have a project you want to start … but you’re stuck in analysis paralysis?
Do you feel like if you want to do something right, you have to do it yourself?
Do you try to wind down after the end of a long day, but your energy levels are just not quite restored?
If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions, then this episode is for you.
Psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler, a former on-site therapist at Google, and author of “The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control,” joins us to chat about her research on perfectionism.
She shares a framework on five types of perfectionism. She describes the pros and cons of each type, and how to work through some of the negative tendencies to build a more emotionally healthy life.