How perfectionism gets in your way

Here are some ways that I've seen perfectionism stop people from realizing their wellness goals:

• It slows you down. Trying to achieve perfection requires extra energy, focus and time. When you hyperfocus your attention on details, things take more time, which can sap your energy and wear you down. This makes it much more difficult to make meaningful change. It's like trying to drive a car with the parking brake on.
• It hinders new ideas and ways of doing things. When your concentration is directed toward flawlessness, you lose the ability to be aware and open to other possibilities. Imagine perfectionism as a castle surrounded by a moat and armed guards — it may feel safe inside the castle, but it also stops fresh ideas and creative solutions from coming in the door. Perfectionism can keep you stuck doing the same thing over and over again with the same result.
• It leads to self-criticism. When you fall short of a goal, your judgmental inner voice can start throwing barbs your way, creating a never-ending battle in your own mind. This self-imposed mental assault may lead you to abandon your goal. Worse yet, you may be left with an underlying sense that you'll never have the resources or the ability to realize your goals.
• It makes your motivation inconsistent. By focusing on perfection, you tend to think in terms of black or white. Win or lose. Fail or succeed. There is no gray or middle ground. This type of thinking can make your motivation go up and down like a roller coaster. For instance, when things are going well, you might feel confident, accomplished and capable. These positive emotions can encourage you to keep moving forward. But as soon as things turn south, you start feeling discouraged and uninspired. These negative emotions tend to sour your enthusiasm, which makes it tough to stay the course.