"Jennifer Breheny Wallace: I shudder when I hear people bragging about perfectionism or saying perfectionism can be good; healthy striving, striving for excellence is good. Perfectionism? I just don't see any good that comes of it. Samantha Laine Perfas: Many people hold themselves to extremely high standards, but when the scales tip to the pursuit of perfection, it can result in anxiety, depression, and other serious mental health issues. So how do we know when we've gone too far in trying to do our best?"
"And I'm Samantha Laine Perfas, your host and a writer for The Harvard Gazette. Today we'll talk about perfectionism and the benefits of accepting when we're less than perfect. Ellen, in your book you argue perfectionism itself is an imperfect word or kind of a misnomer. Could you explain? Hendriksen: Perfectionism is often thought of as a desire to be perfect, a striving to have no mistakes, no flaws. But in my clinical work, I've really found the opposite to be true."
Perfectionism often manifests as relentless self-criticism, unrealistic standards, and a pursuit of flawlessness rather than genuine excellence. When high standards tip into perfectionism, outcomes can include anxiety, depression, and other serious mental health issues. Healthy striving and aiming for excellence support learning, resilience, and sustainable performance. Acceptance of being less than perfect reduces chronic self-judgment and fosters psychological well-being. Differentiating adaptive ambition from maladaptive perfectionism helps individuals and teams set achievable goals, innovate effectively, and maintain long-term motivation without the damaging costs of perfection-seeking.
Read at Harvard Gazette
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