Perfectionists cannot afford to do anything that is below their standard of impeccability. Everything must be absolutely flawless, and mistakes can never be made. People may perceive a “perfect person” as ideal or desired, however, many people fail to realize being perfect may also be their biggest flaw. So, the main question we should be asking is, “Do the pros of being a perfectionist outweigh the harms?” Diving into both the positives and negatives will help dictate whether or not being a perfectionist is good, bad, or something in-between.
Getting straight As is no easy task. However, to a perfectionist, they expect to get perfect scores. They consider an A- to practically be an F, and cannot handle the thought of not having the highest grades. This type of mentality helps them to achieve outstanding grades and test scores. Perfectionists tend to work incredibly hard to maintain their great grades and are very goal-oriented. From personal experience, I have come to discover that perfectionists develop great work habits and are great at time management. Otherwise, they would not be guaranteed the perfect scores that they desire to have. Balancing schoolwork, sports, and other extracurriculars is a tough task, but their determined minds help them to push through these challenges. Additionally, almost all perfectionists are incredibly motivated. They are driven to meet all of their goals and understand that in many cases, work must be put in to reach their objective. Whether it’s pulling an all-nighter to study for an exam or not meeting your friends to finish homework, perfectionists are ready to sacrifice things to attain their perception of perfection.
A coin has two sides to it; a head and a tail. Similarly, being a perfectionist also has its downsides. Oftentimes, perfectionists are not in a good mental state. All of the stress from trying to be perfect can be wearing and depressing. Those who truly desire to be perfect will put themselves through misery to achieve this goal. Furthermore, many people who are perfectionists tend to forget to take care of themselves. Whether it’s hanging out with friends or taking a self-care day, the majority of people need to take time for themselves in order to rejuvenate their mental and physical state. However, perfectionists often forget to take care of themselves because they are too fixated on accomplishing all of their aspirations. They are prone to overworking their body to the point that they get sick or depressed.
Balance is one of the key factors to being in a good mental state. Managing work, social life, family, and other important things should be distributed as evenly as possible. Obsessing over one thing can oftentimes lead to unhealthy lifestyle habits and unhappiness. That is the precise reason why trying to be perfect is unattainable and unhealthy. Perfectionists put an incredible amount of pressure on themselves, which is horrible for their well-being. Although it is good to strive to be successful and do the best that you can, obsessing over being perfect will make you and those around you, unhappy. Instead of striving to be perfect, working towards doing things that make you happy will be a lot more rewarding in the end.
