Blog: Perfectionism

A tool to manage your imposter syndrome
Here's a tool to help manage your imposter "syndrome" when it shows up in your career. Which, as research suggests, is often, especially if you have perfectionistic characteristics, which many academics do. In fact, because all people, regardless of gender, race,...
Are you an ambitious perfectionist?! Find out.
Are you an ambitious perfectionist? Some of us don't even have to contemplate the question, we know the response is "YES!" Others need to think about it. And another category of folx will initially respond "no" and then review this list and shift to "actually, maybe...
Use a distraction log to reduce procrastination
Procrastination, writes James Clear, is a force that prevents us from following through on what we set out to do. Given this force [I love his choice of that word], we need something equally powerful to counteract and resist procrastination. Enter the use of a...
Tips to get unstuck from perfectionism
Here are 12 tips to help you get unstuck from your perfectionism when it shows up, slows you down, is annoying, or sucks you into its vortex. There are no easy-peasy solutions to "overcome" perfectionism (I don't believe in overcoming perfectionism as I've written...
5 ways to set boundaries at work and temper your perfectionism
Do you struggle to set boundaries at work (and then uphold them!) because you are an ambitious perfectionist who is: uber responsible (you don't want to displease) focussed on high quality (you have elevated standards) avoiding failure (you're experiencing imposter...
Reach your goals faster
Reach your goals with ease We set goals because we want to reach them--they represent something important to us. And, whether we articulate a timeframe or not, we usually have one in mind. That goes for anything ranging from securing a more senior position at work to...
Pessimism can be good for your career (thank you worried mind!)
When you've got a big work project or task coming up, do you feel like you waste time worrying? And then get irritated with yourself for worrying and thinking of the worse? (because for Pete's sake, you'd really like to be more calm, cool, and confident given your...
Worksheet for perfectionists: A better option than self-criticism
Here's a worksheet for perfectionists who want to stop beating themselves down when they don't live up to their own high standards... Ok, just between you and me, how far back do you have to go to recall an event when you perceive you failed or somehow let yourself...
Worksheet for perfectionists: Stop, start, continue
If you're a perfectionist, you have undoubtedly had the experience of working on a goal but not making progress in the ways you had hoped. Your own high standards may be holding you back. Maybe you're spending too much time on a particular task or taking too many...
A positive approach to perfectionism
Huh? What do you mean: A positive approach to perfectionism? I used to think that perfectionism was something to overcome. I don’t think that anymore. Now, I think of it as something to be mindful of, to be(come) at peace with, and as a characteristic to leverage. I...
Overcoming perfectionism: What if that weren’t the goal?
Are you fed up with yourself and ready to start overcoming your perfectionism? What if I said I wanted to talk you out of overcoming it?! Yes, that's right: I want to propose a different way to see your perfectionism...a way that acknowledges the challenges and ALSO...
Three types of perfectionism. Which group(s) do you fall into?
Did you know that there are three types of perfectionism? Once I learned about these, I started to observe my behaviours with more clarity and was on to myself more quickly. Ruminating about something I did or didn't do? - ah, that's my self-oriented perfectionism...