The Detrimental Effects of Perfectionism

Maladaptive perfectionism can cause individuals to fixate on unreachable standards, resulting in various adjustment issues like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, ADHD, OCD, and OCPD. These challenges can trigger self-destructive thoughts and behaviors, impacting mental, physical, and social well-being across all age groups.

While some individuals may find that perfectionism alleviates anxiety, recent research by British psychologists Thomas Curran and Andrew Hill indicates that perfectionistic tendencies are increasingly prevalent among Generation Z.

What Happens When You're Skilled Yet Feel Inadequate?

Marcus Geduld suggests that we should come to terms with the persistent feeling of inadequacy, which many high achievers also experience. Even the best in their fields often feel just as lost as anyone else. For instance, Albert Einstein struggled to unify the fields of physics, and despite his genius, he remained acutely aware of his shortcomings.

As someone who has spent nearly five decades honing my skills, I’ve found myself regarded as an expert in a few areas. People often seek my advice, mistakenly believing I've reached some pinnacle of success. In truth, I feel just as lost as I did at the start of my journey.

This confusion arises from my confidence; I am more self-assured now than I was two decades ago. Less experienced individuals often misinterpret my confidence as certainty about my direction, when in reality, I have accepted my perpetual state of being lost. The key turning point for me was shifting my focus from striving to be among the best to enjoying the process of exploration.

I realize now that achieving greatness is not the goal, as true greatness would lose its significance once attained. Instead, I find fulfillment in the pursuit itself, embracing the feeling of being lost.

To move forward, I stopped comparing myself to others. Rather than questioning whether I am "one of the best," I concentrate on my personal goals and experiences. Although accepting this mindset is challenging, I achieved it through years of experience and a growing dissatisfaction with the relentless pursuit of perfection.

In many cases, individuals must reconcile with what Herbert Simon termed "good enough." Simon won a Nobel Prize in economics for advocating that people should work on a problem until they reach a satisfactory solution, rather than striving for an ideal outcome.

Simon challenged traditional economic theories, asserting that individuals often cannot process all necessary information for fully rational decisions. Instead, they aim for decisions that are good enough, leading to reasonable outcomes. I incorporate these principles into my work on Harrison's Applied Game Theory.

Simon referred to this pragmatic approach as "bounded rationality," where the outcomes are described as "satisficing." This less ambitious view of decision-making highlights the importance of practicality over perfection.

Consider a software project where the focus is on completing the least critical features last—this illustrates differing interpretations of "good enough." Importantly, "good enough" means recognizing when additional features or improvements are unnecessary.

For example, during a crucial design review, our manager emphasized the mantra "GoodEnoughIsGoodEnough," which felt lackluster. My interpretation was that aiming for "good enough" might often lead to mediocrity, while aiming for excellence may yield satisfactory results.

Aiming for 80% of a solution often results in better outcomes than seeking perfection. Just as striving for 100% does not necessitate aiming for 125%, focusing on "good enough" can be effective without compromising standards.

Nonetheless, it’s essential to clarify the concepts of "sufficiency" and "enough." The assertion that one can never achieve their goals is simply not accurate.

Thank you for being a part of this journey. Please share this with friends and colleagues who might benefit from these insights.

You are on a path toward personal transformation and self-discovery.

© 2024 by Lewis Harrison. All rights reserved.

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The Problem With Perfectionism - This video explores the detrimental aspects of perfectionism and how it affects mental health.

The Problem With Perfectionism - A deeper dive into the psychological implications of perfectionism and strategies for overcoming it.