Stop Being A Perfectionist Procrastinator: 3 Ways To Conquer Perfectionism
Perfectionist procrastinator. Does this define you? If so, you are killing your productivity.
Perfectionism slaps you in the face, drains your time, and leaves you feeling depleted, overwhelmed and frustrated beyond belief. It is the enemy of everything. People often confuse perfectionism with high achievement, but there is a very big difference between the two.
Thomas S. Greenspon, a psychologist, and author of a recent paper on the antidote of perfectionism says that “Perfectionistic people typically believe that they can never be good enough, that mistakes are signs of personal flaws, and that the only route to acceptability as a person is to be perfect.”
It begs the question, “When is good enough, enough?” To a perfectionist, the answer is, “Never”. If you want to lead a happy, successful and resilient life, you need to learn how to stop being a perfectionist procrastinator. Are you ready to free yourself from the enemy of progress and productivity?
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Are you ready to learn how to stop being a perfectionist procrastinator?
This is a tough pill for many of us to swallow. Why? Because a lot of people have been conditioned to believe that perfection equals success, but it doesn’t, and I know because I’ve struggled with perfectionism my entire life.
In the words of Leo Buscaglia, “Some of the biggest problems arise when we begin to believe that we are perfect or the world around us should be perfect.”
Who am I kidding…I still struggle. If I’m not going above and beyond, if I’m not achieving and doing more, and if I’m not the best at what I do, I’m not enough. That’s hard to say out loud, but it’s what my inner critic tells me, and when she is in the driver’s seat, my perfection kicks into full gear.
I hate to break it to you, but perfectionism and lack of self-worth go hand-in-hand.
Dr. Brené Brown, vulnerability researcher, and storyteller once said, “People who are walking around as perfectionists are ultimately afraid that the world is going to see them for who they really are and [that] they won’t measure up.” YES. Can you relate? I sure as hell can.
In our desire to be loved and accepted by others, we people please in our hopes to be seen. There is a lack of security in one’s own abilities and awesomeness. In this place, self-doubt reigns supreme. Nobody can maintain impossible standards of perfection because it is an illusion.
When people can’t accept this reality, that’s when all hell breaks loose, which can manifest itself as burnout, anxiety and overwhelm. Research has suggested that anxiety over making mistakes may ultimately be holding some perfectionists back from ever achieving success in the first place.
Let’s explore 3 ways that you can stop being a perfectionist procrastinator.
1. Practice Imperfection
If you are a perfectionist procrastinator, you understand what I mean when I say that perfectionism is a productivity killer. By intentionally practicing doing things in an imperfect way, you will slowly become more comfortable with accepting that good enough IS good enough.
Martin M. Antony, a professor of psychology and co-author of When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough, suggests that you can overcome your perfectionism by practicing imperfect acts. This takes practice and patience, but over time, you will notice how good it feels to not be so attached to perfection.
As the old adage goes, “Practice makes perfect”, so start messing up and see how it feels! This is how to stop being a perfectionist.
2. Change How You Set Goals
Perfectionist procrastinators love to set ridiculously large, unattainable goals that leave them feeling overwhelmed. As you can imagine, they rarely achieve them because they consumed themselves with doing everything perfectly.
When it comes to setting goals, the only person who you have control over is yourself. You can’t predict anything else. Make sure that the goals that you are setting are actually within your locus of control. If not, it’s time to set new goals.
If you are a perfectionist procrastinator, you need to learn how to trust the process, and not get so hung up on the end result. This will help you enjoy the journey of becoming who you desire to be. Part of loving yourself is being able to acknowledge what it is that you need.
3.Think of Mistakes As Life Lessons
A lot of perfectionist procrastinators have a fear of failure, which is why they are constantly pushing themselves to be the best because if they aren’t, they think they’ve failed at life. If you base your life on fear, you will never be able to move forward.
Reframe what it means to make mistakes. Instead of seeing them as signs that you aren’t good enough, view them as life lessons that are giving you the opportunity to learn and grow.
These are 3 ways for how to stop being a perfectionist procrastinator.
I encourage you to stop trying to be perfect and embrace who you are. Nobody is perfect. That is what makes us so beautiful. When we accept and love ourselves just as we are, we longer strive to pursue perfection. Instead, a transformation of any kind becomes a journey that is built on self-love.
If you want to master adversity, don’t let perfectionism control your life. In the words of Shannon Alder, “There is no perfection. Only beautiful versions of brokenness.” You were born to be real, not perfect.
Are you ready to learn how you can get back up when life knocks you on your ass? CLICK HERE for instant access to my free resilience mastery eBook!
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