Perfectionism is not a pathology
Olympic champions, scientific breakthroughs, great works of art are all products of the perfectionistic personality gone right.
Dr. Linda Silverman • Perfectionism: the Crucible of Giftedness
Perfection: Aristotelian concept of perfection as “potential fully actualized” ; as excellence in the exercise of one’s capacities and the realization of one’s carefully chosen ideals... human beings are fully actualised when they are functioning as builders.
Gena Gorlin • The quest for psychological perfection
I believe that our creativity grows like sidewalk weeds out of the cracks between our pathologies—not from the pathologies themselves. But so many people think it’s the other way around. For this reason, you will often meet artists who deliberately cling to their suffering, their addictions, their fears, their demons. They worry that if they ever
... See moreElizabeth Gilbert • Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
If there is such a thing as human perfection, it seems to emerge precisely from how we handle the imperfection that is everywhere, especially our own. – Richard Rohr
Most of my clients, and the parents of gifted children that I address at workshops and seminars, reveal that they are perfectionists. My first task is to help them see their perfectionism as a strength instead of as a weakness. I share with them the strong linkage between perfectionism and giftedness, and explain that it comes with the territory of
... See moreDr. Linda Silverman • Perfectionism: the Crucible of Giftedness
Try to make something perfect and it will remain imperfect. Do it naturally and it is always perfect. Nature is perfect; effort is imperfect. So whenever you are doing something too much, you are destroying.
Osho • Creativity: Unleashing the Forces Within (Osho Insights for a New Way of Living)
Trying to get rid of your perfectionism is like trying to get rid of the wind by whacking it with a broom. Perfectionism is too powerful for an eradication approach. When you try to get rid of your perfectionism, all you’re doing is hemorrhaging energy at the opportunity cost of attending to your wellness.
Katherine Morgan Schafler • The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control
Perfectionism is the most noteworthy personality characteristic associated with giftedness.