Need to be Perfect?

PITFALLS

Have to do everything perfectly–even leisure related activities
Drive away others who don’t live up to your “perfect” standard
Avoid things you’re not good at because you fear failure

SOLUTIONS

Distinguish between important and unimportant tasks
Be honest about what you can accomplish and to what degree, then set realistic expectations
Understand that there is more than one way to do something
Eliminate “I should” statements
Don’t magnify your errors
Force yourself to do something unimportant imperfectly
Make a conscious effort to mark the items on your to-do” list that you could do less than perfectly

FEELING GOOD ABOUT WHO YOU ARE-NOT JUST WHAT YOU DO

Give yourself permission to re-establish contact with your creative nature
Accept limitations
Enjoy doing what you’re doing without worrying about what others think
Don’t lose sense of the larger meaning of your life
Let yourself off the hook. Don’t keep beating up on yourself when you make a mistake
Don’t identify your worth as a reflection of your place in someone’s life

ELIMINATE VICTIM-TYPE THINKING

VICTIM-TYPE THINKING INVOLVES PERCEIVING ONESELF AS A VICTIM OF PEOPLE, SITUATIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES YOU CAN’T CONTROL.

Pinpoint which people or situations are fueling victim-type thinking

Assume responsibility
Take action