What are the differences between Perfectionism and Excellence
And why Excellence is a better for you and everyone else!
Aiming for perfection always in our lives – our expectations of reality, our expectations of ourselves, our tasks, our relationships. Excellence, experts and psychologists suggest, is a healthier goal. It allows us to meet high standards and still leave room for mistakes. This article highlights contrasts in the influence and effects of each approach:
(source: Psychology Today – Dr Barbara Markway; Forbes – Angela Civitella)
|
|
| Strive for impossible goals | Enjoy meeting high standards within reach |
| Value themselves by what they do | Value themselves by who they are |
| When they run into difficulty, they get easily overwhelmed and give up | Experience temporary disappointment, but keep going |
| Can be devastated by failure | Learns from failure |
| Remember mistakes, dwell on them | Correct mistakes and learns from them |
| Wants to be number one | Can live with not being the best, especially when they know they’ve tried their hardest |
| Hates criticism | See criticism as a way to learn |
| Have to win to keep high self-esteem | Can finish second and still feel good about themselves |
| How things appear to others and whether they’re done right | Have a reason for actions, being driven by that purpose to achieve success |
| Sets up for failure, drains, causes pain and the disillusionment of not being up to par | Razor-sharp focus to execute and accomplish what matters and what needs to get done to achieve |
| No gain, little reward, no joy or sense of accomplishment; only disillusionment | Allows you to be productive, stay the course, keep the end goal in sight |
