Perfectionism is often disguised as an advantage, a golden ticket to success proudly worn by overachievers. But looking beneath the surface, we see that its true cost is undeniable. Striving for perfection is often linked with burnout, severe anxiety, and a chronic inability to finish what you’ve started. It is a psychological trap that trades true growth for an illusion of flawlessness. When we tie our self-worth to an impossible standard, we don’t achieve more—we simply suffer more. Falling too deeply into the obsession of reaching perfection creates unanticipated consequences on mental health and ones’ perspectives on societal issues.
Especially in a time where the young generation is infatuated with social media and teen influencers, it has become increasingly easy to compare and judge yourself based on what you see. While these creators share videos speaking positively about body image and embracing the features you were given, they’re unintentionally forcing a corrupting mindset into their viewers. Yes, it’s important for those with a platform to advocate for body positivity, however, deliberately styling themselves in clothes that highlight the same thin waist that everyone else seems to have makes viewers think, “I really like them because they’re all about body positivity, but they also have a paper thin waist and no stomach like everyone else, so that must mean I need that too.” It creates a drive for this vision of perfection, and prevents any other type of body from being seen as perfect. In the long run, ideologies such as this cause enduring body image issues that can persist well into adulthood. Whether it generates unhealthy eating habits or excessive exercising, the same mental health issues can intertwine with physical health and lead to degradation of the person as a whole.
Moreover, aspirations for perfection leech into not just how we perceive ourselves, but also how others perceive us—how we subconsciously present ourselves and how we view this presentation. Recently, I had a close friend ask me whether noticing the mob-mentality from the Cornell 7 case in his friend group and speaking up about it was “overly performative.” It struck me as odd that something as simple as recognizing alarming resemblances of a heinous crime in others could seem “performative” because I felt it was clear that the friends should be held accountable. Be that as it may, I realized that, as a result of the normalization of rape culture and the acceptance of a variety of disgusting acts like racism and sexism, anyone who strays the slightest bit toward rejecting these societal norms is deemed out of the ordinary or “performative.” Intentional or not, this attitude instills an intense fear of rejection by society where everyone feels forced to conform to the mindset and personality that is considered “perfect.” This further amplifies the normalization of issues that need to be addressed to the point that they don’t.
Most individuals feel comfortable falling into the same habits as everyone else due to the underlying fear of not being accepted by society. It might be because you’re not happy with how you look, or you’re not happy with how other people look at you. Striving for perfection does not have to be an inherently bad trait, but aiming too far and allowing oneself to fall into unhealthy routines sends the body into a survival-of-the-fittest mentality where the “fittest” are the ones who are accepted. It’s up to us as individuals to address the harmful beliefs that are embedded into our society. Aspire to attain perfection to curate a better version of yourself, but don’t allow your ambition to make you lose the aspects that make you an individual.