the perfectionist's manifesto

stage 1: try to defeat perfectionism thru sheer force of will

stage 2: try to heal perfectionism by doing a bunch of therapeutic inner child shit (also psychedelics)

stage 3: fully accept perfectionism, relate to it healthily, and watch it become a source of unimaginable power

In Maslow’s prescription for self-actualization, he invites counselors to encourage what others might discourage: perfectionistic zeal.

In actuality, perfectionism must be seen as a potent force capable of bringing intense pain, frustration and paralysis, or incredible satisfaction and creative contribution, depending upon how it is channeled. It has the potential to lead to professional fulfillment and spiritual development, but if the energy is diverted by self-doubt and lack of

Perfectionism has nothing to do with getting it right. It has nothing to do with fixing things. It has nothing to do with standards. Perfectionism is a refusal to let yourself move ahead. It is a loop—an obsessive, debilitating closed system that causes you to get stuck in the details of what you are writing or painting or making and to lose sight

perfection is an abstract concept. It takes an abstract mind to grasp its meaning and to cherish a vision that does not exist in the concrete world. Facility with abstraction is the sine qua non of giftedness; this quality differentiates the gifted from others throughout the lifespan.