Perfectionism is both a driver and a symptom of ethics and morality. Understanding this relationship is essential for breaking the cycle.
How Perfectionism Feeds Ethics and Morality
- Perfectionist standards are unachievable, guaranteeing chronic disappointment
- Harsh self-criticism when falling short of perfect standards directly drives ethics and morality
- Procrastination (a perfectionism avoidance strategy) creates shame and increases ethics and morality
- The gap between standards and reality is a constant source of ethics and morality
Types of Perfectionism in Ethics and Morality
Self-oriented perfectionism: Unrealistically high personal standards Other-oriented perfectionism: Unrealistically high standards for others Socially prescribed perfectionism: Belief that others demand perfection from you
The last type has the strongest link to ethics and morality.
Moving from Perfectionism to Excellence
Excellence — doing your best with available resources — is compatible with ethics and morality management. Perfectionism — doing it perfectly or not at all — is not.
CBT and ACT are particularly effective for the perfectionism-ethics and morality cycle.