Welcome Future Happy Achievers!

What if I told you that you don’t have to give up striving for excellence when you drop perfectionism? You might say “But my perfectionism keeps me sharp, on my toes, ahead of the game!” I get it.  But it’s not so. Perfectionism is a habit of mind that arises out of a genuine human need to feel accepted and respected, avoid abandonment, do the right thing, be a good person, and succeed. 

But at some point, it becomes an energetic pattern that is no longer useful. It feeds into a core belief that is hard to shake: the belief that you must keep pleasing, perfecting, performing, and producing in order to feel worthy, be successful, and achieve your goals. Over time the negative effects accrue. A pervasive self-doubt manifests through inner critical narratives that drive behaviors like workaholism, procrastination, avoidance, numbing, and burnout. 

Perfectionism is both tricky and sticky because being success-oriented is reinforced by family, friends, and society. It’s rewarding. It’s no wonder that striving to be the best feels like it can protect you or ensure your place in the social tribe. But that’s a false narrative. Eventually you find yourself stuck, exhausted, or excluded from what you really desire. A sure recipe for dis-ease and unhappiness.