475. The Perfection Trap: The Power of Good Enough - Thomas Curran, Ph.D.
This episode is part of our Mental Health Week series. Explore all the episodes, find resources + more at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth.
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Meet Thomas. He’s the world’s leading expert on perfectionism 😮 and the author of “The Perfection Trap” which was published this year 📖 His TED talk, “Our Dangerous Obsession with Perfectionism is Getting Worse” has 3+ million views and his research has been featured in a wide range of media, including the Harvard Business Review, CNN, New Scientist and The Guardian. He’s also an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics. He’s sharing his research and leaving us with strategies and hope too. This episode is a beacon of light🕯️for anyone battling the relentless pressure of perfectionism. Don’t miss it!
💡Learn
Insights from a groundbreaking study of perfectionism
How to overcome “the perfection trap”
How to embrace imperfection
Today’s Guest
Thomas Curran, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics
“The joy of being human is in doing things that give you purpose and meaning.”
Episode Transcript
Download Full Episode Transcript Here
Episode Highlights
Thomas’ story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
The root of perfectionism (10:00)
Necessary mindsets (13:00)
The effect of perfectionism on our mental health (17:00)
The perfection trap”(21:00)
Activation + The Power of Good Enough: Embracing Imperfection (27:00)
Create a culture that celebrates the joys of imperfection (30:00)
A moment of philanthropy in Thomas’s life (33:00)
Thomas’ One Good Thing: You have to let life happen. (37:00)
How to connect with Thomas (38:00)
POWERFUL QUOTES
“We live in a world that celebrates the overachiever.” -Thomas
“It’s about embracing average.” -Thomas
“There is something very humanizing about being ordinary.” -Thomas
“The expectations we put on ourselves are warped. They are functions of things way beyond our control.” -Thomas
“Our expectations are way out of whack and that is causing a lot of stress.” -Becky
“This is where we get our fuel back. Give us permission to step back.” -Becky
“Perfectionism can be so damaging because it starts from the place of needing to be loved.” -Thomas
“You as a human are beautifully and uniquely different from anyone else.” -Becky
“The joy of being human is in doing things that give you purpose and meaning.” -Thomas
“You have to be brave and courageous. Show your vulnerabilities, and I know that’s difficult.” -Thomas
“Talking and being open with people when things haven’t gone quite so well, it brings us together.” -Thomas
“You have to make sure you bring self-compassion to the table.” -Thomas
“You have to turn that inner voice on its head.” -Thomas
“There is no perfect outcome.” -Thomas
“We don’t know the answer. We have to change how we measure things if we are going to solve these systemic issues.” -Jon
“You are going to fail way more than you are going to succeed.” -Thomas
“Sometimes people can surprise you in incredible ways.” -Thomas
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