• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Snack
      • Lunch
      • Appetizer
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Ingredient
      • Apple
      • Beef
      • Blueberry
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Cranberry
      • Peach
      • Pumpkin
      • Squash
      • Strawberry
      • Tomato
      • Vegetables
      • Zucchini
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Baking
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • No Bake
      • One Dish
      • Slow Cooker
    • Type
      • Breads and Rolls
      • Cakes and Muffins
      • Condiments
      • Cookies and Bars
      • Drinks
      • Food for Kids
      • Gluten-Free
      • Main Dish
      • Pies and Crisps
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Wraps
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies
      • Soup
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • DIY
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printables
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing
  • Family Life
    • Giveaways
    • Lifestyle
    • Marriage
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Pet Care
    • Special Needs
    • Time Management
    • Travel
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas

Perfection can lead you down a dangerous path…

September 29, 2015 by Susan

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail

Are you a perfectionist?

Do you battle with the need to do “all or nothing”?

My mother is a full-on perfectionist… in all the guts and glory. Her perfection helped her win the Gold Medal in Pharmacy at the University of British Columbia way back when there were hardly any women studying science at universities. 

But it also caused her to get so sick from stress that she made her self physically ill and never enjoyed her “college days”.

Her perfectionism also influenced me so severely growing up that it led to my fear of failure that was so incredibly strong I became suicidal.

Perfectionism has it’s benefits… but the risks are devastating.

I continually battle my tendency towards perfectionist thinking. And I do believe that in most ways I’m not actually a true perfectionist like my mother. But I do have to stay aware of approaching tasks with an “all or nothing” mentality.

The dangerous path of perfectionism… 

Perfectionism can lead to depression

When I approach a task with a perfectionist mindset, I tend to procrastinate. 

My worry that the result needs to be perfect can cause me to put off or not even attempt the job.

If I procrastinate on too many projects, I get overwhelmed. I then start to “beat myself up” with negative thinking and blame.

Of course, I eventually end up feeling depressed.

Does this sound familiar to you?

This path can happen on small or large scales and on everything from work projects to housekeeping. 

One way to combat the perfectionism is to plan to just conquer 80% of the job. Or simply tell yourself, you’re just going to work on it for 5 minutes.

Chances are high that once you start working on the project, inertia will take over and you’ll keep going.

I think what is most important is recognizing the cycle.

Once you notice that you’re on this path, you can take steps to stop it. Often that means asking for help.

If you’ve already reached the point of depression, please take action. It might help to put on some motivational music and go for an energetic walk.

Talk to other people who have been through the same challenge. 

But if you’re having suicidal thoughts, please get medical help. 

Remind yourself that perfection is not the goal. True success comes from hard work that is in balance with your other goals. Perfection does not equal happiness.

Share With Your Friends

We’d love, love, love a tweet or a pin… Thanks so much! 🙂

[Tweet “Can you relate? –> Perfection can lead you down a dangerous path…”]

Perfectionism can lead to depression

 

Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at pinterest.com/5minutesformom

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
Bobby Flay on Getting Kids to Try New Foods
Love Cold Coffee? Look No Further than Kill Cliff Cold Brew Coffee! #Giveaway

About Susan

Susan Carraretto and her identical twin, Janice Croze, created 5 Minutes for Mom in 2006. Susan loves all social media, but her top addiction these days is Pinterest.

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

3 Comments

  1. Daryl says

    July 14, 2020 at 2:08 pm

    This is so good and timely for me and my love. My wife has always struggled with perfectionism, in so many ways, but now, as our lives become more complicated (and fun), she just can’t keep up because she expects perfection. Before, she could get away with it, but now, it is getting harder to cope as our three children grow into teens. If you struggle with perfection, get help now before it endangers your life, livelihood, or the relationships that make life worth living.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      July 15, 2020 at 12:48 am

      You’re right that perfectionism gets more problematic as our lives get more complicated. I’m sorry to hear your wife is struggling with it. I hope life gets smoother for her soon.

      Reply
  2. Nolie says

    October 9, 2015 at 12:29 am

    You nailed it. I have struggled with this as well and now fight with myself to accept that perfection is unattainable.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Bringing Moms Together

We are Janice and Susan, twin bloggers and work-at-home moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.

Meet Us…

Work With Us…

Subscribe via Email

to be first to read new posts

Trending Now

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Among Us Costumes – How To Make Pretty DIY Among Us Cosplay Outfits

Among Us Costumes – How To Make Pretty DIY Among Us Cosplay Outfits

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

browse around

  • Posts by Susan
  • Posts by Janice
  • Favorite Recipes
  • Favorite Crafts
  • Giveaways
  • All Posts

Footer

Recipes

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Good Morning Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Good Morning Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Crafts/DIY

Valentine’s Day Crafts For Kids – Super Cute and Easy Valentine Craft Ideas

Valentine’s Day Crafts For Kids – Super Cute and Easy Valentine Craft Ideas

Animal Ears – How to Make an Easy No Sew Animal Ears Headband

Animal Ears – How to Make an Easy No Sew Animal Ears Headband

Free Halloween Printables For Kids

Free Halloween Printables For Kids

Giveaways

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Mom

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Mom

School Supplies List and Back to School Shopping Guide

School Supplies List and Back to School Shopping Guide

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2023 5 Minutes for MomTheme by Melissa Rose Design and Once Coupled