jasonhackwith

Thank you so much for your AMA, I've already found some great action steps for myself to try. My question is, do you see a connection between perfectionism and self-destructive/self-sabatoging behavior, and what are some tools that someone with perfectionist behaviors use to keep from self-sabatoging when something can't be perfect?

Yes, that helps a lot, especially in regards to process vs. product. I'm a graphic designer and art director, and I start having problems when the steps/deadlines I set for myself don't match with the actual stage a creative work is at. Very often my clients are ultimately happy with something but I remain really disappointed in myself. Even if there are mitagating circumstances beyond my control that keep a work from becoming what I think it should become, I still feel shame because I think somehow I should have anticipated the issues and solved them somehow. I can even be perfectionistic about being perfectionistic, which tends to drive people nuts. Fortunately I am surrounded by a wealth of very patient a d kind family and friends.