Perfectionism Has Two Sides. Only One Of Them Is Good For You
The other? Destructive as hell.
In preparation for my (still only fictional) job interview (which I know will come, eventually!), I’m wondering if calling yourself a perfectionist is in fact a good idea. Even if I am one.
It has become a bit of a cliche answer. Besides, perfectionism can have a surprisingly destructive dark side. I have had both. And I don’t really know if I’d call it a strength or a weakness.
Let’s break it down:
Healthy, good-for-you perfectionism is adaptive. Blendable. It folds neatly into any given situation without disturbing the flow and structure, like whipped egg-whites into macaroon mixture.
Your standards stay high but they’re realistic. Your expectations and projections are yours and yours only. They’re also high, but within sight. You are persistent but keep down to earth. You take actions that feed directly into your goals. You accept mistakes as part of the learning curve.
You separate constructive feedback from empty noise and filter out any toxic or jealous comments without looking back.
Most importantly, you keep your boundaries solid and don’t let pressure or the seductive bling of early success blur them out. Also, you keep mindful…
