Key points

Perfectionism can lead to anxiety and low self-esteem.

Evaluating unhelpful thinking, practicing self-compassion, and purposely making mistakes can help.

Letting go of perfectionism increases time for valued, meaningful, and enjoyable activities.

It can feel good to set a goal, aim high, push yourself, and feel like you’ve done your best. But sometimes high expectations become a burden rather than a motivator. Perfectionism can impact your work and relationships and lead to anxiety and low self-esteem . There’s good news, though: Techniques from cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) can help you figure out if you’re setting the bar too high and what to do about it.

What Is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism isn’t just being organized or wanting things to go well. It often invol

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