Are your perfectionist ways holding you back

Are yur perfectionist ways holding you backAre your perfectionist ways holding you backPerfectionism is the mother of procrastination (Michael Hyatt)Are you a neat freak? Someone who constantly re-arranges things to make them look right? Do you never miss an appointment? Agonise over every detail of a project until you are in a complete tailspin? Spend way too long preparing for everything you do?Welcome fellow perfectionistAs a child, I was already showing signs of this innate trait.How many five-year-olds do you know of who actually enjoy tidying their toys? I clearly remember the joy, even at that tender age, of having order around me. Dolls of various sizes, their furniture and clothes, books, crayons and so on all had a special place in my bedroom. Returning things to a designated spot felt right even then. Im aya my parents thought this was a complete gift after three untidy sons before me.Seriously, some of us are just born enjoying order and control. For the average adult, ho wever, perfectionism can become a stressful, counterproductive burden too. Does this ring true for you? How can we best manage this occasionally paralyzing human attribute?Know when to quit.Thats right. Quitting isnt always a sign of failure. Often its a sign that youve maturely decided to allocate scarce time and energy resources elsewhere. Smart choice.Make a worry list.Calm your nerves by writing your worst fears down on paper. A month later youll probably be laughing at what are mostly innocuous memories. Lesson? Dont sweat the small stuff.Lose the sense of impending doom.Work, personal issues, bills irritating stuff will always be there. Lighten up and move on with purpose. Rather than fixate on what needs doing just do itDont agonize over every decision you make.Everyday decisions and risks either a) turn out wonderfully and catapult us to the next place in our day (or life), or b) turn out poorly, in which case weve learned a crucial life lesson. Win-winDont let perfection ism steal your happiness.Dr. Marissa Pei (organizational psychologist, executive coach, author and speaker) explains how the pursuit of excellence in all things actually robs us of our happiness. It creates a cycle of perfectionism, procrastination and so-called analysis paralysis.You dont need external validation.Get out of the loop of craving validation from outside sources. You did the best you could do with the resources you had, right? Then youve done a good enough job and must move on Learn to be satisfied with what youve accomplished.Silence that nagging inner voice.We are our own worst enemies. Be aware of this Negative thoughts lead to, well more negative thoughts.Hey you Lighten up a bitPerceived failures to perform/create/behave in a perfect way are only temporary. These things do not define us or our lives. Get some perspective and move on.An overactive brain is the devils ownPerfectionists minds tend to race constantly, causing overload and exhaustion. Try a daily five -minute meditation. This gives the grey matter a chance to drop into first gear for a while and allows the brain to rest. Something as simple as focussing entirely on slow, deep breathing can work wonders.Gratitude goes a long wayStart each day by writing a quick list of 5 things you are grateful for. It must be specific and not say friends and family. The payoff for the perfectionist will be a chance to see in writing all the great things that you already have in your life. This daily feeling of abundance can put a lot of nitpicking nonsense into focus.Find balanceDone is better than perfect and never completed.Boot out those impossibly high standardsBe kind to yourself. Sometimes our crazy personal benchmarks create unnecessary anxiety over making even the smallest mistake.Give yourself permission to failAn inner sense of security allows you to take risks and succeed in the future. Remind your perfectionist mind constantly What is the absolute worst thing that could happen here? I guarantee you that its nothing as bad as you thinkAs Tony Robbins (businessman, author and super coach) says No matter how many mistakes you make, or how slowly you progress, youre still way ahead of everyone else who isnt tryingBeing a perfectionist is definitely both a curse and a blessing. Dont you agree?Sarah Virg is a Confidence Coach, Columnist, former Senior Global Events Manager in the Motivational Incentive Marketing Industry, Mother of three and lifelong Nomad. She is founder of www.sarah-virag.com and the Wings for Life online coaching programs, and Author of Wings for Life Your Pathway To Freedom After Emotional Upheaval.This post was originally published on ThriveGlobal.com.