On the surface, perfectionism isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Constructively looking at and trying to improve oneself for the better can most certainly transform people into amazing versions of themselves. It isn’t until you begin criticizing and talking down to yourself that perfectionism becomes a parasite that sucks the life out of you.

Your goals can go from wanting to have good grades to being valedictorian to being the perfect student, without you even realizing it. It’s hard to reverse this kind of thinking, especially if you’re hard on yourself. 

It’s so easy to think that, because these goals aren’t necessarily bad, you are somehow too weak or too lazy. You should be working harder, you should be doing more, and eventually, you are not ever good enough. 

This self-inflicted kind of pressure and stress isn’t healthy. In fact, it will only hold you back from your ambitions. If you are telling yourself that you’re not good enough, then you never will be. 

Instead, if you want to grow, change or attain your aspirations, tell yourself that you already are those things. You are a good student. You are a great athlete. Your body is beautiful, even now. You can eat all those chicken wings in one sitting. Thinking this way will literally convince your mind that you are those things, and you will begin acting as such.

You don’t have to be perfect now or even in the future to be who you want to be. You can still work for it and push yourself to greater heights. But if you want to be something more, then you have to understand that you are trying to grow yourself, not change yourself. You are perfect just the way you are.