Perfectionism is a bitch - ain't it?

Psychologists are increasingly convinced that some strains of perfectionism can positively affect a person’s well-being and success. After all, the willingness to work at something until it is just right can pay off. A person may write a better novel, have a more attractive home or build a more successful business. “A lot of good craftsmen, mechanics, surgeons probably would be considered perfectionistic,” says Joachim Stoeber, a psychologist at the University of Kent in England who has published widely in the field. “If you’re happy and functional, there’s no reason to worry about it.”

SHOOT: Finding a healthy level of perfectionism is important. What's a healthy level? A level that contributes to happiness and success, rather than the opposite. Only you will know if your standards are correct, but here's a quick test: if you're feeling miserable right now, chances are you need to change your standards for yourself and others to a more realistic level.

clipped from www.scientificamerican.com The winning formula for a perfectionist, psychologists say, is the ability to strive for excellence without being overly self-critical. Those who adopt this strategy, so-called healthy perfectionists, are relaxed and careful in their quest for success; they focus on their strengths and find great satisfaction in their achievements. Bowen, the lacrosse champ, may be one of these. So may 28-year-old Jennifer Perrone of Atlanta. In addition to her career as a wildlife biologist, Perrone sells Mary Kay cosmetics. She alphabetizes her file cabinets and labels her tool drawers; she finished planning her May 2009 wedding, literally writing the last check, the previous October. Perrone believes that she is highly effective. She does not push herself beyond what she knows she can do, and other than annoying her fiancé when she bugs him to take off his shoes in the house, she says, “It’s difficult to think of a time when it didn’t work to my benefit.”