When Dr. Jane Bluestein would tell someone that she just finished writing a book on perfectionism, the common reaction was a blank stare followed by the question, 'What's wrong with perfectionism?' Indeed, most people mistakenly confuse perfectionism with a healthy striving for excellenceβbut there is a big difference. One can lead to great achievement (or at least great learning) and the other is a psychological wound, the voice of the inner critic that screams 'failure,' 'loser,' or 'fraud,' regardless of the authenticity of our efforts, progress, or success.
Over the years, Dr. Bluestein has seen the toxic and corrosive effects of perfectionism on people's thinking, their bodies, their relationships, their work, and their sense of worth: now she exposes the truth: perfectionism is actually a mask for a fear of making mistakes, a desperate need to avoid negative judgments and rejection.
For those who are bound by the impossible demands of perfectionism and those who feel bound by someone else's perfectionistic standards, Dr. Bluestein emphatically shows that perfectionism is not a good thing, and it's not remotely the same as doing your best. Through personal interviews and the latest research, she explores how our culture fuels the dysfunction, how perfectionism develops, and how it can hurt our physical, mental, and social well-being. Further, she provides practical strategies for moving toward authenticity and wholeness to live with confidence, self-fulfillment, and happiness.