Are you suffering from perfection paralysis?
How has being a perfectionist affected your children?
Eusebius McKaiser speaks to Teddy Bear Clinic clinical director Shaheda Omar on the dangers of perfection paralysis and how to help your children through it.
With perfection paralysis what actually happens is that children find themselves stuck, immobilised they are almost paralysed and cannot move beyond and it is fear of failure. Fear of failing and not to achieve and that, of course, enhances the opportunities that are waiting for them to unlock the potential opportunities.
— Shaheda Omar, Clinical director - Teddy Bear Clinic
Competitiveness is doing your best and achieving your utmost best situation but perfection is when it becomes compulsive.
— Shaheda Omar, Clinical director - Teddy Bear Clinic
Some of the side effects are anxiety, depression, aggression, frustration and feelings of helplessness. Some children would be withdrawn and isolating themselves.
— Shaheda Omar, Clinical director - Teddy Bear Clinic
Perfection paralysis definition: The inability to start on a project, assignment, essay or any creative task due to the fear of not getting it perfectly right.
Listen to the full interview below...