We sometimes hear the adjective “perfectionist” expressed as a great quality; others as a not very positive characteristic. Although to some extent it can help you with your productivity and reach certain levels of professional and personal success, the truth is that an excess of perfectionism can become limiting, affecting the efficiency of your tasks and even your emotional well-being.
We tell you how to know if you have this exacerbated trait that can affect your daily performance. It’s not easy to detect, but pay attention to the signs below and find out if you are a perfectionist.
10 signs to identify a perfectionist person
Nothing is worth them except perfection
Perfectionists do not settle for good work or excellent work, they do not accept anything other than perfect. It’s all or nothing, black or white. With this mentality it is easy to feel disappointed, without being able to value the effort and work well done.
They are fierce critics
These people are excessively critical of themselves and others. They will detect small errors that they will overstate instead of valuing their achievements and supporting the work of others. With this rigidity, confidence and self-esteem will be affected.
Little realism in its objectives
Their goals are usually not reasonable. It is not that they set demanding goals, but that the ones they set are usually out of their reach and they are rarely able to achieve them. The pressure and stress are very high.
100% results orientation
A person with good levels of demand can enjoy both the goal and the process that leads to achieving it. However, for a perfectionist only the goal matters, no matter how beautiful or stimulating the path may be. His obsession with success and his fear of failure prevents him from enjoying the process.
Tendency toward depression due to unachieved goals
Logically, the perfectionist person succumbs to negative thoughts and disappointment when he does not achieve his goals. The mere fact of making a mistake can hinder the achievement of an objective. The perfectionist lives focused on error, he is incapable of enjoying a result that is not 100% perfect.
Fear to fail
We have already advanced this one. But, of course, since anything that is not perfect is a failure, the slightest mistake is experienced as such. The perfectionist thinks that the error is not the consequence of having done something wrong, but rather that he is bad or there is something wrong with him.
Tendency to procrastinate
Although it may seem strange, perfectionists frequently postpone their tasks and obligations. So much self-inflicted pressure overwhelms him, the fear of failing grips him. All of this only increases the discomfort and the feeling of failure.
Always on the defensive
They do not consider constructive criticism as useful information that can help them improve, but rather they feel personally attacked.
Low self-esteem
Perfectionists, overwhelmed by self-criticism and unhappy with their inability to achieve the goals they have set, have a tendency to isolate themselves. All of this can affect the individual’s self-esteem. In fact, low self-esteem can be the origin of exaggerated perfectionism and, at the same time, be the result of it.
Inability to delegate
Excessively perfectionist people have great problems working as a team or collaborating with someone. Many more to delegate tasks to others, since, in their opinion, they are not competent enough and do not put the same interest, rigor and precision as them in the development of said tasks.
Do you think perfectionism is causing you problems? Someone around you? We can help you. .