Which Type of Perfectionist Are You?
Can you have too much of a good thing? Like many personality constructs, there are both good and bad aspects of traits. Research on perfectionism suggests that there are both adaptive and maladaptive forms of perfectionism.
Adaptive perfectionists strive for success, tend to complete tasks on time, and have high standards for their work (taking into account their strengths and limitations; i.e., they don’t “overdo” it).
Perfectionism becomes maladaptive when the individual becomes overly concerned with “perfect” performance so that nothing becomes “good enough,” and those too-high standards are applied to others’ behavior. Maladaptive perfectionism may cause an individual to avoid taking on tasks for fear of making an error or not being able to complete it up to their lofty standards.