Perfectionism

Perfectionism can be an issue for many people (gifted or not). I myself am a recovering perfectionist. As I've gotten older this behavior has improved, but I still see it popping up at times. :) Do you overcommit yourself, have a hard time making choices or delegating work to others, like to be in control, are frequently dissatisfied with your work, or procrastinate? These are just a few behavioral signs of perfectionism (the more items that describe you- the more likely it is that perfectionism is a factor in your life). There is an extended checklist in a book called Freeing Our Families from Perfectionism by Thomas S. Greenspon, Ph.D. to help you see ways in which perfectionism is expressed.
Some people can be perfectionists about some things and not others. I,for example, am particular about measurements in baking and checking over things that I write for correctness, but not so much on keeping my house tidy. You can have a mild, moderate, or extreme case of perfectionism. The main thing about it is that it can affect the way you perform at work or at home (it can slow you down), it can affect the people around you, and it can affect how you feel about yourself as a human being.
There are many resources out there to help you and your family deal with perfectionism. The book which I have mentioned earlier is a major help for families (it breaks it down really well with steps on how to recognize perfectionism, how we become perfectionists, and how to work together to deal with it.
Another book by Thomas S. Greenspon for kids aged 9-13 is called What to do When "Good Enough" Isn't Good Enough: The Real Deal on Perfectionism. Miriam Adderholdt also has a book for kids called Perfectionism: What's Bad About Being Too Good?
All of these books are published by Free Spirit Publishing (www.freespirit.com).
Please feel free to share your experiences and comments.
Thank you,
Monica