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Overcoming Perfectionism: Embracing a Growth Mindset

Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)
Psych Pstuff
Published in
9 min readJan 8, 2025

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Photo by Despina Galani on Unsplash

less pursuit of faultless performance, can be both a subtle and overt psychological pattern that permeates academic, professional, and interpersonal domains, often undermining the very success it aims to secure (Flett & Hewitt, 2002). While setting high standards can spur excellence, perfectionistic attitudes risk devolving into cycles of self-criticism, procrastination, and fear of failure, thereby impeding personal and professional growth (Stoeber, 2018). This tension between aspiration and overcritical self-evaluation underscores the need for individuals to transcend rigid notions of flawlessness and instead cultivate a growth mindset — a perspective that treats mistakes as learning opportunities rather than damning verdicts of personal inadequacy (Dweck, 2006). By shifting focus from exacting external metrics to continual self-improvement, recovering perfectionists can nurture resilience, creativity, and deeper engagement in their chosen fields. In this article, we explore the roots of perfectionism, its detrimental impact on mental well-being, and evidence-based strategies for embracing a growth mindset that emphasizes progress over an impossible standard of flawlessness.

Paradoxically, many high achievers are lauded for their exacting standards, making it tempting to assume that the rigid control perfected by the chronically self-critical is a…

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Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)
Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)

Written by Donna L Roberts, PhD (Psych Pstuff)

Writer and university professor researching the human condition, generational studies, human and animal rights, and the intersection of art and psychology

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