The Perfectionist's Handbook

Take risks, invite criticism, and make the most of your mistakes.

by Jeff Szymanski, Ph.D.

Can Infections Result in Mental Illness?

Can infections result in mental illness? Dr. Thomas Insel, Director of the National Institutes of Mental Health, commented in his blog over a year ago: "The increasing evidence linking strep infection to OCD in children suggests that microbiomics may prove an important research area for understanding and treating mental disorders." Read More

Mental Healthcare In China

In May 2011 I had an opportunity to co-lead a training on Anxiety Disorders in Shanghai, China. While there I interviewed two of the leading mental health specialists in China: Dr. Xu Yong, Director of Education and Training at the Shanghai Mental Health Center; and Dr. Jianping Wang, Professor at the school of psychology at Beijing Normal University. Read More

Perfectionism and the Value of Prioritizing

Whenever I enter a new situation in my professional life, I tend to hang back and get a lay of the land. I want to find out what's going on, who's doing what, and what my best strategy and input are. I do not like to look foolish. However, this is not just limited to my professional life. I really don't like to look foolish at anything. Read More

A Perfectionist's Dilemma: How to Balance More Is Better vs Diminishing Returns?

A core principle that many individuals with perfectionism share is that if a little of something is good, then more of it must be better. Read More

Making the Most of Your Mistakes

Do the mistakes you make feel catastrophic? Many perfectionists feel that no matter how much time they put in on a project, if they (or worse, others) see one mistake, the entire thing is useless. You believe that if someone else recognized the mistake, you should have too. In your opinion, mistakes are avoidable. Read More

The Perfectionism Paradox

Many people—including me—consider their perfectionism to be one of their most valuable attributes and critical for success in achieving one's life goals. As a perfectionist you likely bring attention to detail, organization, a clear sense of how all of the pieces of the big picture relate to each other, and an insistence on everyone working at their potential. Read More