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The quest for psychological perfection
Thomas Hurka observes: “the perfectionist ideal is a moral ideal…it is an ideal people ought to pursue regardless of whether they now want it or would want it in hypothetical circumstances, and apart from any pleasures it may bring” (1993, 17). Restated, this means that we should strive for the sake of striving—not because it feels good, but just b
... See morePavel G Somov • Present Perfect: A Mindfulness Approach to Letting Go of Perfectionism and the Need for Control
If you’re a perfectionist, you want more of something. What is it? Why do you want that? How do you imagine getting what you want will make you feel? Perfectionism invites a deep, unending exploration of who you are and what you most desire from this life.
Katherine Morgan Schafler • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control
“I would say that the demand for the perfect is the greatest enemy of the good. Perfection is a mathematical or divine concept, goodness is a beautiful human concept that includes us all.”
-Richard Rohr
Bracy believes you can both accept where you are and hope to grow. “So instead of thinking of it as ‘bettering yourself,’ I like to think of it as committing to personal values such as the desire to grow, learn more, work hard, etc. When you look at it that way, you’re not seeking this destination of a future version of yourself but instead committ
... See moreZoë Rom • Becoming a Sustainable Runner: A Guide to Running for Life, Community, and Planet
perfectionism is a symptom of a culture that mistakenly believes that maximizing control (over self, others, natural resources, information, and the world at large) is the key to human flourishing.
... See more“The perfectionist is never satisfied. The perfectionist never says, ‘This is pretty good. I think I’ll just keep going.’ To the perfectionist, there is always room for improvement. The perfectionist calls this humility. In reality, it is egotism. It is pride that makes us want to write a perfect script, paint a perfect painting, perform a perfect
Perfectionism represents the natural, innate, and healthy human impulse to align with our whole, complete selves. A restored perfectionist understands that it’s not that you long for some external thing or for yourself to be perfect, it’s that you long to feel whole and to help others feel whole.
Katherine Morgan Schafler • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control
Perfection is an unnatural and damaging concept.