If you are a perfectionist, you are probably familiar with the feeling of wanting to get everything just right. You may struggle with handing in papers, agonize(苦苦思索)over projects at work, and even worry about small errors from the past. High 1 are one thing, but perfectionism is quite another. And as some researchers have discovered, 2 perfection can have serious consequences to mental and physical well-being.
Since perfectionism is 3 with negative outcomes, what can someone with perfectionist tendencies do to change their behavior? Although people are sometimes 4 to give up their perfectionist tendencies, psychologists point out that giving up on perfection doesn't mean being unsuccessful. 5, mistakes are an important part of learning and growing. 6, imperfection can actually help us in the long run.
One possible 7 to perfectionism involves developing what psychologists call a growth mindset(思维方式).Researchers at Stanford University have found that cultivating a growth mindset is a key way to help us learn from our failures. Unlike those with 8 mindsets — who see their skill levels as inborn and unchangeable, those with growth mindsets believe they can improve their abilities by learning from their mistakes. Psychologists point out that parents can play a 9 role in helping their children develop healthier attitudes towards failure: they can praise their children for making an effort even if their results are imperfect and help children learn to 10 when they make mistakes.
Another 11 option for perfectionism is to cultivate self-compassion(自我同情). To understand self-compassion, thank about how you would 12 a close friend if they made a mistake. Chances are that you'd probably make responses with kindness and understanding, knowing that your friend meant well. The idea behind self-compassion is that we should treat ourselves 13 when we make mistakes, remind ourselves that mistakes are part of being human, and avoid being 14 by negative emotions. Self-compassion can be beneficial for mental health, but perfectionists tend not to treat themselves in compassionate ways. If you're interested in trying to foster more self-compassion the researcher who developed the concept of self-compassion has a short exercise you can try.
Psychologists have also suggested that cognitive(认知的)behavioral therapy can be a way to help people change their beliefs about perfectionism. Although perfectionism is linked to lower mental health, the good news is that perfectionism is something you can change. By working to see mistakes as learning 15, and replacing self-criticism with self-compassion, it's possible to overcome perfectionism and develop a healthier way of setting goals for yourself.
