Best 120 Perfectionism Quotes To Overcome Perfectionism

What Is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is a trait that makes the person constantly concerned with striving for flawlessness and perfection.

Perfectionism is usually accompanied by critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others’ approval.

This can become fast and enduring track to unhappiness.

Perfectionism Quotes

1. “At its root, perfectionism isn’t really about a deep love of being meticulous. It’s about fear. Fear of making a mistake. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of failure. Fear of success.” — Michael Law

2. “An artist obsessed with perfection is bound to dim the light of his art.” — Michael Bassey Johnson

3. “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” — John Steinbeck

4. “But I am learning that perfection isn’t what matters. In fact, it’s the very thing that can destroy you if you let it.” — Emily Giffin, Something Borrowed

5. “Do not let perfection and order become your masters! These are the two most dangerous traps set for the spiritual Murid. True spirituality proceeds from an honoring and awareness of chaos and imperfection. Who would dare untangle a rainforest?” — Laurence Galian

6. “Don’t let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started.” — Marilu Henner

7. “Done is better than perfect.” — Sheryl Sandberg

8. “Even when we strive for perfection, life is nothing more than an attempt to achieve it through a series of greater or smaller imperfections.” — Peter Prange

9. “For a better life, redefine your definitions of perfect.” — Akiroq Brost

10. “Good enough is good enough. Perfect will make you a big fat mess every time.” — Rebecca Wells, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder

11. “Have no fear of perfection… you’ll never reach it.” — Salvador Dali

12. “Have the courage to be imperfect.” — Alfred Adler

13. “I do think imperfection is underrated.” — Helena Bonham Carter

14. “I have to say that I’ve always believed perfectionism is more of a disease than a quality. I do try to go with the flow, but I can’t let go.” — Rowan Atkinson

15. “I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.” — Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

16. “I’ve learned how my own perfectionism can cripple me.” — Jennifer Nettles

17. “If one wants to be active, one mustn’t be afraid to do something wrong sometimes, not afraid to lapse into some mistakes. To be good — many people think that they’ll achieve it by doing no harm — and that’s a lie… That leads to stagnation, to mediocrity. Just slap something on it when you see a blank canvas staring at you with a sort of imbecility.” — Vincent Van Gogh

18. “If perfection had a slogan, I think it would be something like: ‘Perfection, the preferred hiding place of people everywhere.’” — Kristin Schell

19. “In order to go on living, one must try to escape the death involved in perfectionism.” — Hannah Arendt

20. “It’s not about perfection. What’s a perfect painting? What’s interesting about a perfect painting?” — Peter Doig

21. “Learning to give up on perfection may be just about the most romantic move any of us could make.” — Alain de Botton

22. “Let go of the perfectionism. Surrender to the flawed, human messiness and do the thing that your heart and soul desperately wants to do.” — Katherine Mackenzie Smith

23. “Like the bronze statue of the Angel of the Waters, those who pursue perfection find themselves paralyzed by the possibility of flaw, fault, or failure.” — Jamie Le Fay

Overcome Perfectionism and procrastination worksheets (2)

24. “My teacher once told me: No one is perfect, and it is why pencils have erasers.” — Mahesh Bhatt

25. “Nobody has a perfect life. Everybody has something that he wishes was not the way it is.” — Stan Lee

26. “Nobody on this earth is perfect. Everybody has their flaws. Everybody has their dark secrets and vices.” — Juice Wrld

27. “Only a fool pursues perfection; the wise pursue self-correction.” — Abhijit Naskar

28. “People call me a perfectionist, but I’m not. I’m a rightist. I do something until it’s right, and then I move on to the next thing.” — James Cameron

29. “People call these things imperfections, but they’re not. That’s the good stuff. And then we get to choose who we let into our weird little worlds.” — Good Will Hunting

30. “People often miss out on their own human genius because they’re trying to be more perfect than the gods.” — Curtis Tyrone Jones

31. “Perfect is the enemy of done.” — Catherine Carrigan

32. “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” — Vince Lombardi

33. “Perfection of character is this: to live each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, without apathy, without pretense.” — Marcus Aurelius

34. “Perfectionism attaches to what is valued in the culture.” — Gloria Steinem

35. “Perfectionism doesn’t make you feel perfect; it makes you feel inadequate.” — Maria Shriver

36. “Perfectionism is a dream killer because it’s just fear disguised as trying to do your best.” — Mastin Kipp

37. “Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough.” — Julia Cameron

38. “Perfectionism sucks the air out of your uniqueness and leaves you empty, away from who you could become.” — Darryl Stewart Wellness

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40. “Practice does not make perfect. Imperfect makes us practice.” — Mokokoma Mokhonoana

41. “Proliferation is greater than perfection.” — Richie Norton

42. “Striving for perfection is a good and worthwhile effort. Expecting to actually attain perfection can kill you.” — Laurence Bergreen

43. “The desire of perfection often leads to the awakening of the Procrasdemon. Allowing yourself to make mistakes is the single most effective way to get rid of it.” — Neeraj Agnihotri

44. “The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.” — George Orwell

45. “The inescapable contrariety between ‘being a perfectionist’ and ‘being a procrastinator’ is never actually perceived by someone who procrastinates.” — Mrityunjay Dixit

46. “The magic elixir to perfectionism is to practice gratitude.” — Scott Mautz

47. “The most successful people are not the most perfect, but the imperfect who dare to believe that they can despite the damning verdict.” — Bangambiki Habyarimana

48. “The seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece.” — David Bayles

49. “There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness.” — Shannon L. Alder

50. “There is no way to genuinely, powerfully, truly love yourself while crafting a mask of perfection.” — Vironika Tugaleva

51. “To be courageous, we must be willing to surrender our perfectionism, if only for a moment. If my self-worth is attached to being flawless, why would I ever try to learn anything new? After all, learning requires mistakes.” — Vironika Tugaleva, The Love Mindset

52. “Too many people spend too much time trying to perfect something before they actually do it. Instead of waiting for perfection, run with what you got, and fix it along the way.” — Paul Arden

53. “Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.” — Brené Brown

54. “We don’t need to be perfect to do good deeds in the world, but we need to be sincere in our efforts.” — Gudjon Bergmann

55. “We’re going to have to bust down the door on the myth of perfectionism. We’re going to call it what it really is: fear.” — Karen Rinaldi

56. “We’re never perfect. We’re always measured against a yardstick we’ll never see.” — Molly M. Cantrell-Kraig

57. “What if you wake up someday, and you’re 65… and you were just so strung out on perfectionism and people-pleasing that you forgot to have a big juicy creative life.” — Anne Lamott

58. “When things are perfect, that’s when you need to worry most.” — Drew Barrymore

59. “When we relate to ourselves with loving kindness, perfectionism naturally drops away.” — Sharon Salzberg

60. “Where perfectionism is driving, your shame is riding shotgun.” — Brené Brown

61. “A desire for mastery is certainly admirable and can lead to a fulfilled life. However, perfectionism, whether in what one imagines others expect or in what is expected of a child, mate, or coworker, ultimately leads to the erosion of relationships.” – Ellen Bowers

62. “A key component in identifying perfectionism in oneself is the question: “Is it important to be perfect in this situation, or am I making myself unhappy?”” – Ellen Bowers

63. “A person doesn’t become perfectionistic overnight, and reversing the trend will also take some time.” – Ellen Bowers

64. “A person who is not perfectionistic is able to view herself as a completely worthwhile individual, regardless of what is attained or not. The perfectionist, however, has a deeply felt belief that one has to be perfect in order to be acceptable as a person. Of course, this almost never happens, resulting in fragile self-esteem.” – Ellen Bowers

65. “A tendency toward perfectionism makes it nearly impossible to even think about trying something new, let alone actually doing it.” – Ellen Bowers

66. “Accepting the tendency toward perfectionism does a lot to diminish the yammering self-criticism. Some people tell the internal committee to be quiet for a while. If it’s the voice of a critical parent, one can ask her to sit in the car while an important interview is going on. Everyone is flawed in some manner, and the varieties of characteristics add to the flavor of life. You might have a tendency toward perfectionism. You can laugh about it when you are thirty minutes early for an event. Laugh again when you ask your spouse one more time to look for the lint roller and go over your outfit that is already perfect.” – Ellen Bowers

67. “Extreme perfectionism is deadly. An extreme perfectionist is unable to determine priorities for a single day. Bills are ignored and mail is unopened because one cannot perfectly measure up to the task of handling life’s administration. Suicide is considered rather than a career change. This extreme black-or-white mindset pushes out a wide range of gray options. One never goes out on a date because the wardrobe is lacking. Someone else might not earn a college degree because of the fear of being the wrong age or level of intelligence.” – Ellen Bowers

68. “Hiding behind toxic perfectionism is a huge amount of fear. It may even be hidden from the perfectionist. Though all their excuses may seem completely rational, hidden fear is their motivator.” – Ellen Bowers

69. “In the beginning, perfectionism often feels like a strength, a way to accomplish great things, be rewarded, and avoid criticism. But it also creates unnecessary stress and anxiety. It damages your self-esteem and can leave you feeling disconnected and unworthy. Eventually, perfectionism feels like more of a burden than an asset.” – Sharon Martin

70. “Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, perfectionism offers a false promise that you can gain control of your life by working harder, preventing mistakes, attaining more things, or accomplishing difficult tasks.” – Jennifer Kemp

71. “Many people think of perfectionism as a personality trait, something that affects you during your whole life. Yet, if you see perfectionism as part of your personality, it is difficult to change.” – Jennifer Kemp

72. “Many perfectionists grew up with unrealistic expectations from parents or caretakers, or even themselves. Often, perfectionism is encouraged in families, communities, and institutions. Sometimes parents require straight As in school and flawless piano recitals; they knowingly or unknowingly establish perfection as the standard. For other children, perfectionism is self-imposed. Your parents may not have expected perfection, but you set this standard for yourself as a result of the culture and community expectations that surrounded you.” – Sharon Martin

73. “Many studies have shown perfectionism to be strongly linked to both eating disorders and negative body image. Eating and body image disturbances often develop when people strive to meet an ideal body shape through diet and exercise and have a specific goal for their weight or appearance.” – Jennifer Kemp

74. “Most people think of perfectionism as a good thing. What’s wrong with working hard to reach lofty goals? But perfectionism can go too far—much farther than pulling all-nighters to hand in the perfect paper or cleaning the house until it shines. Toxic perfectionism can result in obsessive behavior, damaged self-esteem, depression, and even physical ailments.” – Ellen Bowers

75. “Much of the drive toward perfectionism is an attempt to please the deeply imbedded voices of the authority figures from childhood.” – Ellen Bowers

76. “People are complex, and there isn’t one single cause of perfectionism. Your present self is a complicated and synergistic combination of your biology and experiences.” – Sharon Martin

77. “People often confuse perfection with excellence. The pursuit of excellence is a healthy striving to be outstanding or above average. It promotes personal growth and improvement. But perfectionists don’t expect just excellence; they have such painfully high standards that anything short of perfect is intolerable. Unlike seeking excellence, perfectionism is a narrow, intolerant expectation that we will never make mistakes or have any imperfections.” – Sharon Martin

78. “Perfectionism can be a deadly detriment to enthusiasm, satisfaction, and happiness. It destroys relationships as people pick, pick, pick at each other, whether it is in a marriage or between parent and child.” – Ellen Bowers

79. “Perfectionism can be an elusive difficulty to understand, as the American culture rewards hard work, commitment to results, putting in long hours, and high achievement. However, striving for excellence is different from striving for perfection. Perfection is hopeless; it is virtually unattainable.” – Ellen Bowers

80. “Perfectionism can be broken into two types. First, there are behaviors such as checking, correcting, categorizing, and organizing. Second, one has difficulty making decisions, gives up efforts too quickly, or procrastinates. Both types are burdensome to the individual and others who live or work near the person.” – Ellen Bowers

81. “Perfectionism can be confusing; it affects different people in different ways. But what we all have in common is that perfectionism can get in the way of living our lives to the fullest. It is the quest to be perfect or without flaws. It means we set impossibly high standards for ourselves and sometimes for others, and we believe that we should achieve our goals effortlessly and never make mistakes, have flaws, or be disagreeable. We consider anything less than perfect unacceptable and feel distressed when people (ourselves and others) don’t live up to our expectations. But because our standards are unrealistic and unattainable, even with hard work, perfectionism is a losing proposition. It ultimately makes us feel worse rather than better.” – Sharon Martin

82. “Perfectionism can be obvious or it can be quite subtle. Sometimes it’s hard to spot, because it doesn’t impact all areas of your life. It’s possible for perfectionism to be causing problems in some areas of your life, but not others.” – Sharon Martin

83. “Perfectionism can feed your worries about the future by providing many examples of where things could go wrong. Many people with unhelpful perfectionism often feel anxious and worried in a way that is intense and overwhelming. If you worry about making mistakes in several different areas of your life and the worries feel uncontrollable and interfere with your day-to-day living, then you might have generalized anxiety disorder.” – Jennifer Kemp

84. “Perfectionism causes problems in relationships of all kinds. You may work so hard that your relationships suffer or find yourself married to your work rather than in a loving relationship. You may worry about how you look or what you say, stopping you from deeply connecting with others. Perhaps, you find it hard to take a risk to start a new relationship altogether. After all, what if it doesn’t work out? You might also worry about how other people see you and believe you are not good enough for your partner, friends, or colleagues. Plagued by self-doubt, you may crave reassurance, but it’s never enough.” – Jennifer Kemp

Related: Am I A Perfectionist Quiz

85. “Perfectionism causes unhappiness—ill feelings within the self and in relation to others. It creates a life seemingly fraught with danger at every turn because the high standards believed to be important can never be met. This creates a tired, discouraged person, always on the brink of satisfaction and achievement but never quite making it. Perfectionistic parents raise nervous children, those kids who hover around the edges of something fun, afraid that they will do something wrong and get yelled at.” – Ellen Bowers

86. “Perfectionism doesn’t spring from nowhere. People with perfectionism, if they take the time to investigate their personal history and do a careful appraisal of their environment, will see that it’s no accident that they have perfectionistic tendencies. Some of the origins might be genetic, which, of course, are completely out of a person’s control, and others are found in the surroundings and significant relationships that impact a person’s life” – Ellen Bowers

87. “Perfectionism has an element of compulsivity, and anything short of perfection is seen as a failure.” – Ellen Bowers

88. “Perfectionism is a pattern of behavior that, when changed, can help people live better lives and let go of unhealthy ways of coping. By changing your unhelpful perfectionistic habits into behaviors that are more helpful, you can build your confidence, achieve more, connect with others, and take risks that expand your life in positive ways. The first step is to figure out what perfectionism looks like for you.” – Jennifer Kemp

89. “Perfectionism is not a curse. With enough information and a bit of curiosity and willingness, even years of perfectionistic thinking and behavior can be untangled and laid to rest.” – Ellen Bowers

90. “Perfectionism is rampant in modern culture. The pressures of the media, working hard to sustain a career, the rising cost of living combined with dwindling job opportunities, somewhat fragmented families, and the faster pace of life all contribute to unrealistic expectations of oneself and others. The result can be a sort of dark, pervasive irritability and short-temperedness in every conversation and human exchange.” – Ellen Bowers

91. “Perfectionism is when high standards have become impossible to reach.” – Ellen Bowers

92. “Perfectionism keeps you busy chasing goals and avoiding mistakes. Yet, a meaningful and enriched life is not lived this way. Your unhelpful perfectionistic habits might help you avoid failure, but they don’t lead to a life that you love.” – Jennifer Kemp

93. “Perfectionism keeps you busy. It pushes you to achieve more, or avoid the things that scare you. Your perfectionistic habits might protect you from failure, but they probably don’t fill your life with joy. Unfortunately, stopping your perfectionistic habits is not enough to create a life that enriches you—you must replace your unhelpful behaviors with purposeful action in the direction of things that are important to you even though it means moving closer to your fears and your desire to hide or escape (Walser 2019).” – Jennifer Kemp

94. “Perfectionism leads to a preoccupation with others. One’s own needs get shifted to the back burner, resulting in personal neglect, even physical illness. Others may thrive on all that attention, but the self atrophies.” – Ellen Bowers

95. “Perfectionism presents you with a challenge: trying to achieve your ambitious standards while avoiding any chance of failure. There are several different ways people respond to this challenge. Some work harder, pushing themselves to achieve more and checking everything they do to avoid mistakes. Others give up when they realize they can’t meet their perfectionistic ideals, feeling crushed by their self-criticism and their fear of failing.” – Jennifer Kemp

96. “Perfectionism—the drive to achieve more, be more, and prove ourselves— can be so compelling that we feel driven to go, go, go. We can’t stop.” – Sharon Martin

97. “Perfectionists agonize over decisions, whether small or large. What to prepare for dinner, which gift to get for a secretary. What is behind this anguish? The fear of failure. The wrong choice could jeopardize those important relationships, creating an insurmountable loss. A perfectionist’s tendency toward insecurity creates self-doubt.” – Ellen Bowers

98. “Perfectionists are workhorses, and despite our fatigue and overwhelm, people count on us to get things done—and we generally come through for them.” – Sharon Martin

99. “Perfectionists strive to never make mistakes and are excruciatingly hard on themselves when they do.” – Sharon Martin

100. “Perfectionists tend to screen out positive options, almost always focusing on the negative. Perfectionists sense a host of “shoulds” careening through their mind most of the time. Perfectionists adversely compare themselves to others and make many wrong assumptions, imagining that they can read minds and that others can read their minds. There are core beliefs of not being okay, not being valuable or lovable. The result is a lot of spinning wheels and wasted time and energy.” – Ellen Bowers

101. “Perfectionists try to avoid failure, criticism, and embarrassment by sticking to things they’re already good at. We avoid risk and the unknown in favor of consistency, what’s already known, and what feels safe.” – Sharon Martin

102. “Pervasive fear of failing is at the heart of unhelpful perfectionism and seems to drive most unhelpful behaviors. “Failure” can be a wide range of things such as making a mistake, being socially awkward, not being liked or loved enough, or not earning enough money. Fear of failure is generally more intense when other people might see you fail.” – Jennifer Kemp

103. “Self-criticism lies at the heart of unhelpful perfectionism. Like a relentless fault-finding machine, your perfectionistic, self-critical inner voice constantly evaluates your performance and points out every tiny error you make or could potentially make in the future.” – Jennifer Kemp

104. “Some careers are more suitable for perfectionists than others. Blythe Camenson, author of Careers for Perfectionists and Other Meticulous Types, recommends the following professions as possibilities: accountant, auditor, lawyer, surveyor, mapmaker, engineer, art conservator, art restorer, researcher, writer, editor.” – Ellen Bowers

105. “Some perfectionists are physically present in their relationships, but mentally distracted. Your mind may be caught up in ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. Or you may just be juggling so many things that you’re perpetually distracted. It’s entirely possible to be in the same physical space but not be connected to others.” – Sharon Martin

106. “The consequences of perfectionism are devastating to mental conditions, intimate and social relationships, and even one’s physical health. The deep belief that one is never good enough counteracts happiness. Those who try to get along with perfectionistic mates or supervisors will attest to the lack of joy in such an endeavor (walking on eggshells or waiting for the next complaint is certainly no fun). And ulcers, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes are the dire results of compulsive worry or behavior.” – Ellen Bowers

107. “The limits of perfectionism are not a life sentence. They can be deeply imbedded in the personal psyche, but with effort, there is always a way out.” – Ellen Bowers

108. “The perfectionist is rarely happy. There is a persistent undercurrent of dissatisfaction with oneself and life. Whatever achievements there are bring only fleeting joy. Then they are dismissed as trivial or marginal. There is the element of control with perfectionism, where one is provoked to seek particular outcomes, even when they are impossible.” – Ellen Bowers

109. “To counteract some of the effects of perfectionism it is helpful to become more comfortable with risk. Imagine life as a grand adventure, and it’s up to you to explore and participate. Yes, there may be setbacks and temporary embarrassments when trying something different, but the pleasures of new experiences are mostly likely worth it. Maybe you have always wanted to shop in the markets of Kathmandu. Maybe you would like to work with a hot-air balloon crew and silently drift over the mountains, looking at miniature coyotes and rabbits below. Maybe you would like to fly in a helicopter over the Grand Canyon. These types of things entail risk but could bring new life and energy into the deadened sensibilities of perfectionism.” – Ellen Bowers

110. “To err is completely human, but perfectionistic people have surreal, completely different standards, behaviors, and beliefs.” – Ellen Bowers

111. “Toxic perfectionism is like a foggy lens of perception. Everything will be musty and moldy because of the lens, not because of the nature of the actual experience or situation. This is quite difficult to understand when one is in it. It helps to have trusted people—spouse, friend, or therapist—who can point it out.” – Ellen Bowers

112. “Toxic perfectionism is the extreme edge of perfectionism where the person is frozen in paralyzed inaction. There is such a high degree of fear of failure that it becomes impossible to do anything because it is certain to be wrong!” – Ellen Bowers

113. “Toxic perfectionism works like an insidious poison that can wither even the most gorgeous day or luscious experience.” – Ellen Bowers

114. “Unhelpful perfectionism is behavior designed to move you away from something you fear. At the center of perfectionism is always some kind of fear of failure. It can feel devastating, triggering uncomfortable thoughts like “I am a loser” or “I am hopeless” and physical sensations such as feeling tense, agitated, or even sick to the stomach.” – Jennifer Kemp

115. “Unhelpful perfectionism makes living a fulfilling life more difficult. You may find it difficult to do the things you love because you fear making a mistake, or struggle to try something new because you might get it wrong. The influence of this on your mood can build slowly over time.” – Jennifer Kemp

116. “When you struggle with unhelpful perfectionism, the threat system can become chronically overactive and the drive systems can swing between being underactive or overactive. Often the soothing system is chronically underactive. You can balance these systems by activating your soothing system using self-compassion. You can learn how to calm yourself and find new, kinder ways of relating to your struggle. When the soothing system is balanced with the threat and drive systems, you are able to feel motivated, prepared, alert, energized, and safe at the same time. Developing the skills of self-compassion can help you achieve this.” – Jennifer Kemp

117. “When you struggle with unhelpful perfectionism, you may harshly and unkindly judge both yourself and your mistakes. By treating yourself with greater empathy and understanding, you can soften your attitude toward yourself and, in doing so, help soothe your overactive threat system.” – Jennifer Kemp

118. “While helpful perfectionism is associated with flourishing, unhelpful perfectionism can interfere with every aspect of your life, causing you to flounder rather than flourish and sometimes even struggle to achieve your goals at all. Unhelpful perfectionism can also cause conflict in your relationships and is linked to many common mental health problems.” – Jennifer Kemp

119. “While it can be extremely unhelpful, perfectionism is not considered a mental health disorder itself, even though some researchers have begun to use the term “clinical perfectionism” when it causes substantial distress and interferes with daily life. Many of the behaviors linked to unhelpful perfectionism overlap with other common mental health disorders, which may be another reason perfectionism can be missed in therapy.” – Jennifer Kemp

120. “With perfectionistic people, often the unreasonable need to be right is lorded over others, much to the detriment of friendships and working relationships. Have you ever heard a very bright, small child lecturing someone in the sandbox about the correct way to make sand cookies? This is a future perfectionist, and someone not so easy to be around comfortably.” – Ellen Bowers

References

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What Is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism Quotes

By Hadiah

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