How Being A Perfectionist Can Hinder Your Business & Life
You might be thinking that doing everything perfectly may seem a recipe for success.
You would not be completely correct…
“While some aspects of perfectionism can be helpful in reaching one’s potential, the perfectionist attitude also has some downfalls that can seriously ruin both your personal and professional growth.”
– Excerpt from Book ‘When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough”
While it’s true perfectionists can be rewarded for their flawless performances and may even think their desire to never make a mistake is what makes them more efficient at their job, the obsession for perfect may indeed stand in the way of success.
Several high-achieving individuals can and have argued that their quest for perfection has been responsible for their success, including businesswoman Martha Stewart.
Who in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, said that she was “ a maniacal perfectionist. And if I weren’t, I wouldn’t have this company. I have proven that being a perfectionist can be profitable and admirable.”
I am about to give you the reasons why being a perfectionist isn’t always the best.
A Perfectionist …
Tends To Avoid Taking Risks.
Perfectionists tend to set high (or in many cases, unrealistic) standards and strive to be the best at everything they do. However the desire to be perfect all the time can turn into a fear of failure. Thus causing individuals with a perfectionist attitude to get stuck in the status quo.
People often set high goals and if it’s not achieved, they may be disappointed for a few hours or a day, but they move on. This concept doesn’t apply to perfectionists. They aren’t able to let go and instead they define themselves in terms of whether they meet these impossibly high goals.
Perfectionists can become so paralyzed by their fear of not being able to meet goals that they will often not take greater risks.
They prefer to be perfect at what they know they can achieve rather than take the risk that an endeavor may fail. This personality trait doesn’t sit well with entrepreneurs.
As by the nature of their professions, must be willing to risk some level of uncertainty.
Can Be Inflexiblele
Change can be difficult for perfectionists. Today, one’s success often depends on their ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
Perfectionists will often only see one possible solution as the right one. Which often is not the case, there may be many paths that lead to the same outcome.
This inflexibility can cause creativity and innovation to suffer – two things which are key in anyone’s business or life.
Takes Too Long To Get Things Done.
If you’re checking and re-checking constantly throughout the day and making sure everything’s absolutely perfect. You are definity less productive.
A sales report may be absolutely perfect, contain zero typos and have the best-looking flow charts. However if it’s not completed on time or if making it perfect gets in the way of you completing other important competing tasks.
Thus can prevent your business from advancing.
This also applies to the perfectionists in the home…expecially those diagonised with OCD. By trying to keep themselves and their environment in perfect condition they losse out on the fun they could be having instead.
Can Affect Relationships With Employees and Co-Workers.
Often times perfectionists not only demand perfection from themselves but for others around them as well.
This can cause tension. As others aren’t able to live up to these high standards set or may deem the standards to be unnecessary. A perfectionistic boss can create a very tense working or home environment.
We hope that knowing how perfectionism can ruin both personal and professional growth will help you.
In my next article, I will be telling you the Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism from the book “When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough” written by .
Talk Soon,
Nicky
P.S. Learn how to have the home business of your dreams. Where you have life-changing income, personal and time freedom. This is all without creating products, dealing with customers, building websites, or managing staff.
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