Does your perfectionism help you move forward or is it a slow down force.

When overused, perfectionism can be a killer force which destroys your enthusiasm and wastes incredible amounts of energy.

It is an excellent force when used wisely.

The main question is: Are you on top of it?

Are you in control of your perfectionism or are you its slave. Are you collaborating with that force or a are you simply following it blindly.

Are you using your perfectionism to alienate your environment?

Are you at the head of a team and using your perfectionism as a tool to control and limit others?

As you can see, wanting to be the best can be both a limiting force or an empowering one.

You probably can see through this example the negative effects perfectionism can have. If you or others suffer from it, it's probably not a good sign.

The best way to overcome extreme perfectionism is to redefine the real targets.

Suppose you publish a magazine. You can keep on perfecting some aspects of the layout and in fact totally miss the point. There are degrees of perfection which will satisfy only you and that no one else will see.

On top of that, you might miss the opportunity to focus on other aspects of your magazine which might need attention (for instance and effective marketing strategy).

This example clearly shows that you need discrimination with you actions.

Perfectionism is a positive force as long as you know how to drop it any time.

How do you drop it?

• Accept imperfection: yes! It's as simple as that!

• Focus on other sources of validation: everyone knows you are the best, so, just for once, relax and let it go)

• Try and experiment: sometimes, you are simply asked to try, not to succeed

• Lower your expectations: be easy on yourself and on others

• Redefine your targets: focus on the larger picture rather than the details.

• Redefine your values: if your perfectionism is ruining your relationship, decide now to let it go and put harmony first.

If you or others are slaves of your perfectionism, it's really time to consider this personality trait as your greatest imperfection and do something about it.

When overused, perfectionism is not different from fears, doubts and endless hesitations. It simply becomes a slow down force which kills emotional fuel.

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