In today's rapidly changing and competitive world, perfectionism often stands out as a means to achieve success. However, is this concept always as useful as it is thought? What does the desire to be perfect give people and what does it make them lose?What exactly is perfectionism and why does it sometimes move us forward and sometimes pull us back?

What is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is often defined as setting excessively high standards that are difficult to achieve for one's self or others. The effort to reach these standards, while sometimes motivating a person, can often become a psychological and physical burden.

Perfectionism can be in different areas:

1. To set high standards on one's own performance and to avoid making mistakes.
2. He expects perfection from the people around him.
3. Don't try to be perfect under the pressure of other people's expectations.

Perfectionism allows a person to set high standards and maintain motivation while trying to reach these standards, these individuals accept that it is natural to make mistakes and focus on the learning process; they can do quality work by paying attention to details, increase motivation to work and learn more, discover creative solutions.
On the other hand, he may direct cruel criticism against himself or others for fear of not achieving perfection. This often leads to problems such as anxiety, depression and low self-esteem; the constant effort to do the best can lead to physical and mental burnout, the desire to achieve a perfect result pushes a person to constantly postpone and makes decision-making difficult, failure to achieve expectations can make an individual feel inadequate, expecting others to be perfect can lead to conflicts in relationships.

To Decouple Between Perfectionism and Healthy Goal

For a balanced approach:

Set Realistic Goals: You can enjoy success by setting yourself achievable and measurable goals.
Review Your Own Standards: Ask yourself the question: “Is this goal really important to me, or am I trying to please others?”
Accept the Naturalness of Making Mistakes: Mistakes are a way to learn and improve. Imperfections are a part of being human. See flaws as opportunities for development.
Appreciate Yourself: Instead of focusing only on the results, celebrate the efforts and progress you have made.
Don't Compare Yourself to Others: each person's journey is different. Create your own success criteria. Instead of constantly criticizing yourself, appreciate the effort you are making.
Get Professional Help: If perfectionism negatively affects your quality of life, you may want to consider getting support from a specialist.

A Life Focused on Development Instead of Perfectionism

Adopting a development-oriented approach instead of perfectionism can open the doors to a healthier and more balanced life. Development-oriented individuals see making mistakes as a learning opportunity and prioritize enjoying the process rather than trying to be perfect.

Perfection is contrary to the nature of being human. The most valuable thing is to be able to make peace with our shortcomings and accept ourselves and our environment as they are. Instead of getting lost in the pursuit of perfection, choose to accept yourself and your efforts as they are. Because true happiness is hidden in being able to find peace despite our shortcomings. Accepting flaws makes us not only happier, but also freer.