Published on: 2026-09-22
Source: Novosibirsk State University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
At the beginning, Alina talked about how perfectionism works and why the desire to do everything perfectly can be associated not only with the wish to achieve a high result. According to the psychologist, anxiety and the desire to avoid mistakes have ancient mechanisms that once helped a person maintain belonging to their social group. However, in modern life, excessive anxiety can turn into a trap that prevents movement and decision-making.
One of the manifestations of perfectionism the psychologist called procrastination. She explained that putting off tasks is not always related to laziness or an inability to plan time. In a situation where a person is afraid to complete a task imperfectly, the brain may perceive it as a source of future shame and criticism. Then arises the desire to postpone the task, switch to something else, and avoid unpleasant experiences.
Alina also spoke about socially prescribed perfectionism — the belief that others demand perfection from a person. According to research data by Thomas Curran and Andrew Hill presented at the meeting, this indicator has increased by 33% over the past 30 years. Among the factors that may sustain the drive for constant compliance with high standards, Alina mentioned the culture of success and achievement and social networks.
Separately, the participants discussed the connection between perfectionism and self-esteem. If a person’s sense of self-worth begins to depend on how perfectly they perform a task, this can become part of perfectionist thinking. In practice, participants were asked to identify the underlying rules behind their own perfectionism and understand what they “pay” for adhering to these rules.
— I thought it would be just a lecture, I didn’t read that it said “interactive meeting.” We had individual work, then paired work, and feedback. This is, of course, more effective than just listening and taking notes., — said a participant of the meeting Natalya.
The practical part continued with work in pairs. Participants had to resist a hypothetical “devil” — an opponent who tried to persuade them not to start the task and to continue adhering to perfectionist strategies.
At the end of the meeting, the participants wrote “wills of a free person” and symbolically renounced negative behavioral patterns and destructive beliefs.
Natalya noted that she particularly remembered this part of the meeting: “At the end of the meeting, we symbolically got rid of uncomfortable behavior strategies. Publicly, these promises have an unknown power over us. Therefore, I believe the method will work.”
The participant had already read the book “Perfectionism. First Aid” by Dutch authors and became better at distinguishing laziness, procrastination, and burnout. At the meeting, the psychologist also recommended David Burns’s book “The Anxiety Cure.”
— But still, books are general words. And you need to work on your own personal problem. So I’m very glad I went. I have my own worksheet with my notes left. We will continue the journey, — shared the participant.
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