Breaking Free from the Pressure of Perfection

Confidence & Self-AwarenessWell-being & BalanceAll employees≈ 25 min

Key skill: Perfectionism

Summary

Understand why the pursuit of perfection, like an endless elevator, always leaves you unsatisfied, and learn to accept your imperfection to live more freely and with greater kindness toward yourself and others.

Target audience

Anyone looking to improve their quality of life and relationships

Learning objectives

Recognize that everyone has their own definition of and belief in perfection, where society and philosophy diverge.
Understand how the pursuit of perfection is often tied to personal values and quests that aren't always well-calibrated.
Realize that the ideal of perfection is unattainable and breeds dissatisfaction.
Accept your own imperfection to be more open and compassionate toward others'.

Module outline

StorytellingA touching, symbolic story about accepting our imperfections and their unsuspected value
ArticlesThe dissonance between society and philosophy · Mass consciousness and its demands for perfection · When imperfection creates beauty: inspiring examples (kintsugi, pearls, Zen gardens, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Art Brut)
Expert videoPerfection as an endless elevator, and choosing to embrace our imperfection
AnchoringQuizzes and true/false questions to dive deeper into the topic and lock in what you've learned
Memo cardA downloadable coaching memo card: the key points from the expert video
CommitmentConcrete examples to help you define your own commitment

Models & methods

Wabi-sabi philosophy; the art of kintsugi; preference-values vs. principle-values; the image of perfection as an endless elevator.

Research-based

Reference to Christophe André's book "Imparfait, libre et heureux" ("Imperfect, Free, and Happy").