Perfectionist
Order, Improvement, Ideal
"Reach for perfect. Never settle."
Total Character Score
3.7
Character Statements
I expect myself to produce flawless work.
3.7
I would rather be over-prepared than under-prepared, even at the cost of my free time.
3.7
I am self-critical when I don’t achieve my own high standards.
3.7
Your Perfectionist is the part of you which gives you:
Diligence, attention to detail, a commitment to accuracy
Always striving to improve, aspiring to achieve an ideal state
Skilled at identifying errors, flaws, defects and inconsistencies, and correcting them
Capacity to bring order out of chaos through organizing, categorizing, planning
Messy
Humanness, Creative Disorder, Ambiguity
"Life is beautifully messy."
Total Character Score
3.7
Character Statements
I thrive on a certain amount of chaos.
3.7
I like to make it up as I go along, rather than follow a plan.
3.7
I can be disorganized.
3.7
Your Messy is the part of you which gives you:
Permission to be human, incomplete, imperfect, a work in progress
Doesn’t sweat the small stuff
Thrives in ambiguity; can adapt rapidly to new information, emerging opportunities
Being non-judgmental, radically accepting of “what is”
Overuse Patterns
Your score of 3 suggests moderate risk of over-using Being.
You may be over-using your Perfectionist if you:
You set unrealistically high standards, and are quick to judge yourself when they are not reached.
You expend a disproportionate amount of time and energy to present a flawless image.
You suffer from “success amnesia”, in which you struggle to remember successes, and believe that you’re defined by your failures.
You may see neatness, tidiness and orderliness as non-negotiable needs rather than preferences. You can be thrown off center when faced with the unexpected.
Your score of 3 suggests moderate risk of over-using Being.
You may be over-using Messy if:
You can be reluctant to set high standards, and tolerant of preventable errors.
You don’t like to plan: you expect yourself to be able to make it up as you go along.
You exhibit a disinterest in consistency. Rather than standardizing a solution that works, you will tend to respond to known problems as if they were novel.
Addressing Overuse
You can address overuse of Perfectionist by accessing the following strengths of Messy:
Before you start any task, define “good enough”, and be specific. When you reach this standard, stop working.
Affirm to yourself that errors, mistakes, flaws make you relatable. They prove only that you’re beautifully imperfect and human.
You can address overuse of Messy by accessing the following strengths of Perfectionist:
Where are you frittering away energy, time and attention by being disorganized or unprepared? Find one of these “energy leaks,” and commit to plugging it, so you can dedicate that energy to something more important or more fun.
Balancing Responsible Playful
Why does Responsible/Playful balance matter?
Fulfilling adult responsibilities, without losing touch with childlike joy.
Enlivening the everyday with surprise and spontaneity.
Protects against a sense of humor failure, and taking yourself too seriously.
How do you know if Responsible and Playful are balanced?
You can have fun in the most mundane and habitual tasks.
Your duties and obligations feel lighter; something you get to do, rather than have to do.