The traits of perfectionists

The core trait of perfectionists is setting excessively high standards for oneself or others, accompanied by harsh self-evaluation. perfectionism is mainly characterized by excessive pursuit of details, fear of failure, procrastination behavior, black-and-white thinking, and excessive control tendencies.

1. Excessive pursuit of details

Perfectionists often get caught up in excessive attention to details, repeatedly checking and modifying work results, and find it difficult to achieve self satisfaction standards. This trait may manifest in the workplace as being dissatisfied with dozens of file modifications or delaying project progress due to conflicting color schemes. Behind the pursuit of details often lies a fear of negative evaluations from others, as well as a deep psychological need to gain recognition through perfect performance.

2. Fear of Failure

Perfectionists often equate mistakes with personal value denial, leading to a strong sense of frustration. I scored 98 points in the exam but still blamed myself for losing 2 points. During my speech, I made a small slip of the tongue and denied my overall performance. This trait originates from the conditioned reflex formed by punitive feedback in early education, where the amygdala of the brain produces an overly alert response to potential mistakes, leading to excessive caution in decision-making.

3. Procrastination behavior

There is a significant correlation between perfectionism and procrastination, as individuals hesitate to start due to fear of not being able to complete tasks perfectly. Repeatedly collecting information while writing a paper without starting to write, the fitness plan was put on hold due to the inability to find a perfect solution. Procrastination is essentially a defense mechanism against anxiety, temporarily relieving stress by delaying action, but in the long run, it can exacerbate self blame and form a vicious cycle.

4. Black or white thinking

Perfectionists tend to judge things with two extremes of standards, believing that imperfection is failure. Revising the plan three times in work is considered completely useless, and in interpersonal relationships, friendship is considered broken due to minor friction. This cognitive pattern is related to the function of the prefrontal cortex of the brain, making it difficult to engage in grayscale thinking and prone to extreme judgments of all or nothing.

5. Overcontrol tendency

Perfectionists often try to strictly control the environment and the behavior of others, be hands-on in team cooperation, and demand strict alignment of items in family life. The essence of control desire is the projection of anxiety towards uncertainty, obtaining a temporary sense of security through a sense of order, but excessive control can consume psychological energy and trigger interpersonal conflicts. For individuals with a tendency towards perfectionism, it is recommended to adjust irrational beliefs through cognitive-behavioral therapy and practice breaking down tasks into executable small goals. Try setting completion rather than perfect time points in daily life to cultivate mindfulness meditation habits and reduce self-criticism. Fault tolerance mechanisms can be established in the workplace to clearly distinguish between core standards and secondary details. In terms of diet, adding foods rich in tryptophan such as bananas and oats in moderation can help stabilize emotions. Maintain moderate aerobic exercise every week to promote endorphin secretion and alleviate anxiety. Perform relaxation training before sleep to avoid repeatedly thinking about the day's shortcomings. Long term adjustments can gradually establish healthier behavioral patterns.