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The Perfectionist Trap

2016

One of the greatest obstacles to a good life is the expectation of perfection.

03:47 min

College Students and Destructive Perfectionism

Generation Z can struggle to bounce back from the first failures they experience in college. Here's how to help them thrive.

Article
Joanna Lilley
2019
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FindCenter Quotes ImageLearning any new skill involves relatively brief spurts of progress, each of which is followed by a slight decline to a plateau somewhat higher in most cases than that which preceded it . . . the upward spurts vary; the plateaus have their own dips and rises along the way. . . .

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George Leonard
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Your Hidden Superpowers: How the Whole Truth of Failure Can Change Our Lives

Dr. Becca North rewrites the story we tell ourselves about failure. She puts forth a captivating vision of how shifting our view of failure would change how we lead our lives, yielding profound benefits for us as individuals and as a society.

Book
Becca North
2025
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Are You Mentally Well Enough for College?

Last spring an 18-year-old college freshman who got straight A’s in high school—but was now failing several courses—came to my office on the campus where I work as a psychologist.

Article
Nicholas Joyce
2019
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On Failing Forward and Pivoting

Have you ever heard one of those horror stories about students who fail out of college because they did not do what they were supposed to do? Hi, yeah, I, unfortunately, have one of those horror stories to share.

Article
Liliana Flores
2020
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An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional

In conversation with young adults and experts alike, journalist Rainesford Stauffer explores how the incessant pursuit of a “best life” has put extraordinary pressure on young adults today, across our personal and professional lives—and how ordinary, meaningful experiences may instead be the...

Book
Rainesford Stauffer
2025
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The “Perfect” Problem

I’m a perfectionist, and I can’t do this anymore.

Article
Gordon J. Ebanks
2021
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The Problem with Being Perfect

A trait that’s often seen as good can actually be destructive. Here’s how to combat it.

Article
Olga Khazan
2018
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Three Practical Tips to Overcome Perfectionism

On a dreary Monday morning, I am listening to an inconsolable graduate student. Based on their state of anxiety, you would think they are on the verge of flunking out of their program or that a loved one has fallen seriously ill. The truth is far different.

Article
Dimitrios Tsatiris
2021
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Fueled By Failure: Using Detours and Defeats to Power Progress

Olympian and former NFL player now thriving as a CEO and Philanthropist, Jeremy Bloom pulls at the common thread that unites him with all of us: the defeats we encounter on our journeys to reach our goals.

Book
Jeremy Bloom
2015
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EXPLORE TOPIC

Failure