Odds are, if you consider yourself a perfectionist in any way, then you may hold perfectionism as a badge of honor, proudly stating how it has helped you achieve excellence in your life and business.

But what if I were to tell you that perfectionism is toxic?

It may tick you off or make you feel defensive like it did to me, but that’s okay. I encourage you to keep reading…

You see, perfectionism has become so normalized within our society. It has been adopted as a highly sought-after and highly regarded characteristic trait. 

Think about it. When you think of someone who is a perfectionist, a romanticized version of perfectionism probably comes to mind. Most likely, you picture someone who is fashionably dressed, has an impeccably tidy home, produces quality work, and knows the difference between blush and rose. 

But behind this veil is a much darker image of perfectionism.

 What most people don’t know is that perfectionism is rooted in self-doubt, fear, and shame.  

Perfectionism is the belief that you’re not good enough and nothing you do can ever amount to anything worthy of praise or recognition. As a result, it can drive you to overwork yourself (hustle and grind) in a vain attempt to pursue happiness and perfection. This then creates a powerful addiction to stress and hustle. Rest and play are normally not in the perfectionist’s vocabulary.

Perfectionism also robs you of your confidence. It places a heavy emphasis on seeking attention and praise from other people. This is because you don’t know how to validate yourself. The very thought of losing people’s acceptance and validation fills you with fear. And it can cause you to go through extreme lengths to make people like you (i.e. people-pleasing, broken boundaries).

In other words, perfectionism is a dream killer.

And the antidote for this can be a nightmare for most perfectionists: doing the exact opposite of their perfectionist tendency.

This means if you find yourself hustling all the time and feeling burnt out, then invite more play and relaxation into your life. Or if you afraid of showing your emotions, then focus on cultivating vulnerability. 

It isn’t easy throwing away what you once thought was helping you attain success. But, I promise that the end result is much more satisfying. The power that comes in believing in yourself, in embracing failures, in knowing that it’s okay to not have all the answers, in flaunting your perceived imperfections, and speaking out about your struggles is unmatched.

This is why I am passionate about what I do as a Perfectionist Mindset Coach

I get to help reinstill confidence, purpose, self-worth, and validation in others. Something about peeling off the restrictive masks that people have hid behind for way too long is so fulfilling. Because through this knowledge and through applying certain mindset strategies, people can release their perfectionist tendencies. This helps find freedom in being themselves and chase after their dreams and goals wholeheartedly. 

By Vanessa Palencia Galvan

If you’d love to learn more about perfectionism, or how you can begin to break free from it;

Check out my website www.thebutterflyeffectp2m.com
Or my Instagram page @vanessapgalvan.

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