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Why Perfectionism Is So Dangerous
The Ugly Truth About Our Most Cherished “Flaw”
In today’s type A society, “the perfectionist” is a lauded title. Often one step removed from genius. A fraternal twin to the savant.
The perfectionist is a rare breed of person. He is the innovator with the tenacity to see an idea through to its most complete form. She is the artist who is ceaseless to a fault. Never stopping at “good enough”; daring to push beyond greatness.
At its worst, we view “perfectionism” as a highly coveted “flaw”. A top shelf foible.
Just think of the stock response when a potential employer asks for your biggest weakness:
“Umm… I’m a bit of a perfectionist.”
A sentence usually spoken with a twinkle in your eye and a grin on your face. It’s a cute way of saying my biggest flaw is I have no flaws. Hire me and I might be too good at the job.
But does perfectionism really deserve this celebrated status?
Why Perfectionism Is Dangerous
Dangerous! That’s much too strong a word to use, no?
Maybe. But I think perfectionism is uniquely deceitful. Its deceit lies in that it is a flaw masquerading as a virtue.
