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Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Logan Area Public Library | 155.232 CUR | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
| Book | Searching... Putnam Main Public Library | 155.232 CUR | Adult | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
"Offers a hopeful beacon and a steady path for anyone struggling to find their footing in a world of impossible standards." --Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive and The Power of Regret
In the tradition of Brené Brown's bestseller The Gifts of Imperfection , this illuminating book by an acclaimed professor at the London School of Economics explores how the pursuit of perfection can become a dangerous obsession that leads to burnout and depression--keeping us from achieving our goals.
Today, burnout and depression are at record levels, driven by a combination of intense workplace competition, oppressively ubiquitous social media encouraging comparisons with others, the quest for elite credentials, and helicopter parenting. Society continually broadcasts the need to want more, and to be perfect.
Gathering a wide range of contemporary evidence, Curran offers "a clear-eyed look at how perfectionism and its capitalistic 'obsession with boundless growth' has contributed to mass discontent and insecurity" ( Publishers Weekly ). He shows what we can do as individuals to resist the modern-day pressure to be perfect, and in so doing, win for ourselves a more purposeful and contented life.
Filled with "many useful lessons and valuable insights...This book offers an alternative path to a fulfilling, productive life" ( Kirkus Reviews ) and the relief of letting go to focus on what matters most.
Author Notes
Thomas Curran is a professor of psychology at the London School of Economics and author of a landmark study that the BBC hailed as "the first to compare perfectionism across generations." His TED talk on perfectionism has received more than three million views. His research has been featured in media ranging from the Harvard Business Review to New Scientist to CNN and he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. He is the author of The Perfection Trap.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Curran, an associate professor of psychology at the London School of Economics, debuts with a clear-eyed look at how perfectionism and its capitalistic "obsession with boundless growth" has contributed to mass discontent and insecurity. He outlines different types of perfectionism, including self-oriented (perfectionism directed from within), socially prescribed (perfectionism directed from external sources), and other-oriented (the notion that other people must be perfect). Overcoming perfectionism isn't simple, Curran acknowledges, advising readers to begin by recognizing it as a problem and "making a wholehearted commitment to acceptance of who we are and where we're at in life," even if "such acceptance may never be fully realized." His tips for reaching toward acceptance include making a list of "what perfect looks like to you," choosing to challenge that notion in some way (such as by striking up an impromptu conversation with a stranger, risking embarrassment), and learning that anxiety will pass. Curran adds that despite the perfectionistic urge to "sacrifice ourselves at the altar of our jobs," research reveals that "employees who give themselves work-life balance are far more productive." Ultimately, he advises readers to "trust... that you can be happy when things are good enough." Supported by scholarly research and down-to-earth personal anecdotes, Curran's explication is smart, thorough, and reassuring. The burned-out will find solace here. (Aug.)
Kirkus Review
A social psychologist shows how perfectionism can hold you back from real achievement and points the way out of the dilemma. Curran, a psychology professor at the London School of Economics, shows how we are experiencing record levels of burnout, hypercompetitiveness, depression, and anxiety. The reason, he argues, is perfectionism, an impulse that runs through everything from work to personal attractiveness. It is relentless, impossible to satisfy, and inherently dangerous to mental well-being. Curran examines it from various perspectives and provides a self-diagnostic tool called the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Many perfectionists think of themselves as highly productive, but that belief is not supported by the evidence. In fact, perfectionists often repeat the same task over and over again rather than looking for innovations and alternatives. They can also be intolerant of others, which is disruptive in the workplace and in relationships. Still, perfectionism is ubiquitous. We are constantly bombarded with messages telling us to be better, strive harder, and consume more. The filtered, glossy images of social media set impossible standards that cannot be met, although some people go to enormous lengths in attempts to do so. Curran offers solid suggestions on how to avoid the perfection impulse and move into "the Republic of Good Enough." The best way is with measured steps, coupled with realistic goals and an understanding of where you actually want to go in your life. Unfortunately, he wanders off the point in the final chapter, when he discusses sociopolitical reforms like a universal basic income and progressive taxation. This section has a tinny tone that clashes with the sturdy research of the rest of the book. However, the author delivers many useful lessons and valuable insights, and that might be quite good enough. Depression and anxiety are at epidemic levels; this book offers an alternative path to a fulfilling, productive life. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Table of Contents
| Prologue | 1 |
| Part 1 What Is Perfectionism? | |
| Chapter 1 Our Favorite Flaw | 7 |
| Chapter 2 Tell Me I'm Enough | 21 |
| Part 2 What Does Perfectionism Do to Us? | |
| Chapter 3 What Doesn't Kill You | 47 |
| Chapter 4 I Started Something I Couldn't Finish | 63 |
| Chapter 5 The Hidden Epidemic | 81 |
| Part 3 Where Does Perfectionism Come From? | |
| Chapter 6 Some Perfectionists Are Bigger Than Others | 93 |
| Chapter 7 What I Don't Have | 111 |
| Chapter 8 What She Posted | 129 |
| Chapter 9 You Just Haven't Earned It Yet | 145 |
| Chapter 10 Perfectionism Begins at Home | 167 |
| Chapter 11 Hustle Is a Six-Letter Word | 181 |
| Part 4 How Can We Embrace Imperfection in the Republic of Good Enough? | |
| Chapter 12 Accept Yourself | 201 |
| Chapter 13 Postscript for a Post-Perfectionism Society | 215 |
| Acknowledgments | 239 |
| Notes | 241 |
| Index | 267 |
