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Are you a Perfectionist?

Poll

Are you a Perfectionist?

Are you an Perfectionist? Do you feel the need to tweak every minor detail of your life and schedule so it 'feels right' and 'meets your perfectionist persona'?

People that are Perfectionist can feel unmotivated, depressed and feel the need to procrastinate.

How much of a Perfectionist are you?


Although Buzzfeed is renowned for being pretty c r a p with their quizzes you should take the Buzzfeed Perfectionist Test

I scored 38/54 'You are such a perfectionist that everything subpar irritates you. If it were up to you, the world would be a calm and ordered place.' I don't see myself as much of a Perfectionist though :s-smilie:
(edited 7 years ago)
Not really at all. I'm more of a 'drive to avoid failure' person.
I have never really striven for any sort of high level of achievement - but conversely, I feel as if I have failed if I haven't done at least okay-good.
Reply 2
Depends on what I'm doing.
Sometimes I can be the absolute epitome of perfectionism. I might labour over every single tiny thing in a certain piece of work. And I can be incredibly lazy and not care in some other endeavour.
Reply 3
Original post by hellodave5
Not really at all. I'm more of a 'drive to avoid failure' person.
I have never really striven for any sort of high level of achievement - but conversely, I feel as if I have failed if I haven't done at least okay-good.


People that do not strive for a high level of achievement do not have Perfectionist traits although it's very common for all people to feel sense of dissatisfaction if they do not achieve what they expect.
Reply 4
Original post by 1 8 13 20 42
Depends on what I'm doing.
Sometimes I can be the absolute epitome of perfectionism. I might labour over every single tiny thing in a certain piece of work. And I can be incredibly lazy and not care in some other endeavour.



Your traits are very similar to mine. :biggrin:

I'm a slight perfectionist so in some tasks I become quite obsessive whilst for others I have no regard whatsoever. It's quite a strange feeling to have!
Reply 5
I think all people can feel as though they are 'not good enough'. Different people have their own reasons for this.

They feel as though they could do better
The work/task doesn't represent their true nature
Pressure from other people/role models to achieve a level of excellence.

The factors are very diverse and people are affected in different ways!
Reply 6
I'm the opposite of a perfectionist.

I believe that the worst effort that gets the job done or that succeeds is the ideal.

Any greater effort I see as pointless.
Reply 7
Original post by moggis
I'm the opposite of a perfectionist.

I believe that the worst effort that gets the job done or that succeeds is the ideal.

Any greater effort I see as pointless.


Many perfectionists would love to be like you. No worries about completing every task perfectly. :smile:
Original post by umar39
People that do not strive for a high level of achievement do not have Perfectionist traits although it's very common for all people to feel sense of dissatisfaction if they do not achieve what they expect.


Aye, but mine is on the complete flipside... in that my drive can be excessive in the need to avoid failure, rather than with the explicit objective to achieve highly.
Unfortunately, probably as damaging to me as being a 'perfectionist'
Reply 9
Original post by hellodave5
Aye, but mine is on the complete flipside... in that my drive can be excessive in the need to avoid failure, rather than with the explicit objective to achieve highly.
Unfortunately, probably as damaging to me as being a 'perfectionist'


That's an interesting concept called Atychiphobia! Having a fear of failure is actually very common amongst all groups of people. Maybe we as humans all have somewhat perfectionist tendencies as a fear of failure could indicate a desire to achieve above expectation.
Reply 10
Original post by umar39
Many perfectionists would love to be like you. No worries about completing every task perfectly. :smile:


Can't perfectionists just do fewer tasks?

Or get others to do the tasks for them?
Reply 11
Original post by moggis
Can't perfectionists just do fewer tasks?

Or get others to do the tasks for them?


A perfectionist could complete fewer tasks but it would tak away the sense of achievement they feel as they have achieved less.

A perfectionist has their own way of completing a task. It is almost like a ritual. (It could be compared to people with OCD who share similar traits). They feel as though the task they complete should be completed to the highest degree using their own perfectionist method.
Reply 12
Original post by umar39
A perfectionist could complete fewer tasks but it would tak away the sense of achievement they feel as they have achieved less.

A perfectionist has their own way of completing a task. It is almost like a ritual. (It could be compared to people with OCD who share similar traits). They feel as though the task they complete should be completed to the highest degree using their own perfectionist method.


Seems like the ideal partner would be a perfectionist then.

They'd have to do all the housework.

(I wonder if perfectionist au pairs cost extra.)
It's a bit weird for me. I'm definitely a perfectionist, but I'm also one to try and do things in the quickest way possible. Often I sort of finish something and think "Yeah, that'll do" but really I'm not totally happy with my work because it's not perfect, and it'll bug me enough that I'll either have to go back and finish it properly, or just label it crap for the rest of its existence.
Reply 14
Original post by moggis
Seems like the ideal partner would be a perfectionist then.

They'd have to do all the housework.

(I wonder if perfectionist au pairs cost extra.)


Hiring a perfectionist au would be pretty funny especially if you made your home intentionally dirty and watch them spend hours cleaning it. ...

I'm too evil for my own good :biggrin: ( I suppose they would cost more as they would do a better job)
Original post by umar39
That's an interesting concept called Atychiphobia! Having a fear of failure is actually very common amongst all groups of people. Maybe we as humans all have somewhat perfectionist tendencies as a fear of failure could indicate a desire to achieve above expectation.


Interesting, not heard that word before! Thanks.
But that's not what I have really - its more just a drive to avoid failure, rather than a fear of it (I know I'm going to fail, a lot - as will everyone... and sort of embrace it and weirdly to a point enjoy it as I feel you learn a lot from failure). But I think because, basically I used to fail at school at everything because I CBA and consequently my outlook wasn't very good; so now I have considerable drive to avoid that same behavior and consequent position I guess.
Reply 16
Original post by WoodyMKC
It's a bit weird for me. I'm definitely a perfectionist, but I'm also one to try and do things in the quickest way possible. Often I sort of finish something and think "Yeah, that'll do" but really I'm not totally happy with my work because it's not perfect, and it'll bug me enough that I'll either have to go back and finish it properly, or just label it crap for the rest of its existence.


This happens to me pretty often. I rush a task and usually feel like crap for a while afterwards. Then I decide to perfect it, making me feel a bit better.
Reply 17
Original post by umar39
Hiring a perfectionist au would be pretty funny especially if you made your home intentionally dirty and watch them spend hours cleaning it. ...

I'm too evil for my own good :biggrin: ( I suppose they would cost more as they would do a better job)


My house is often so dirty that an escort once turned to me and said,

"How can you live like this?"

I'm not sure I intentionally make it dirty though.


In fact 'perfectionist ' au pairs exist of course. Otherwise known as Polish au pairs.

They don't cost more but they're a pain.

I came home once and shed moved the ******* fridge and washing machine to clean behind them!!

I mean who cleans behind their white goods !?

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