The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough

by Thomas Curran

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

We're delighted with this debut from UK professor Thomas Curran. Entertaining and educational, he guides us through the pitfalls of perfectionism to a happier, less anxious life.

“Offers a hopeful beacon and a steady path for anyone struggling to find their footing in a world of impossible standards.” —Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive and The Power of Regret

In the tradition of Brené Brown’s bestseller The Gifts of Imperfection, this illuminating book by an acclaimed professor at the London School of Economics explores how the pursuit of perfection can become a dangerous obsession that leads to burnout and depression—keeping us from achieving our goals.

Today, burnout and depression are at record levels, driven by a combination of intense workplace competition, oppressively ubiquitous social media encouraging comparisons with others, the quest for elite credentials, and helicopter parenting. Society continually broadcasts the need to want more, and to be perfect.

Gathering a wide range of contemporary evidence, Curran offers “a clear-eyed look at how perfectionism and its capitalistic ‘obsession with boundless growth’ has contributed to mass discontent and insecurity” (Publishers Weekly). He shows what we can do as individuals to resist the modern-day pressure to be perfect, and in so doing, win for ourselves a more purposeful and contented life.

Filled with “many useful lessons and valuable insights...This book offers an alternative path to a fulfilling, productive life” (Kirkus Reviews) and the relief of letting go to focus on what matters most.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781982149536
Publisher:	Scribner
Publication date:	08/08/2023
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	55,419
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Thomas Curran is a professor of psychology at the London School of Economics and author of a landmark study that the BBC hailed as “the first to compare perfectionism across generations.” His TED talk on perfectionism has received more than three million views. His research has been featured in media ranging from the Harvard Business Review to New Scientist to CNN and he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. He is the author of The Perfection Trap.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2023

Curran, an associate professor of psychology at the London School of Economics, debuts with a clear-eyed look at how perfectionism and its capitalistic “obsession with boundless growth” has contributed to mass discontent and insecurity. He outlines different types of perfectionism, including self-oriented (perfectionism directed from within), socially prescribed (perfectionism directed from external sources), and other-oriented (the notion that other people must be perfect). Overcoming perfectionism isn’t simple, Curran acknowledges, advising readers to begin by recognizing it as a problem and “making a wholehearted commitment to acceptance of who we are and where we’re at in life,” even if “such acceptance may never be fully realized.” His tips for reaching toward acceptance include making a list of “what perfect looks like to you,” choosing to challenge that notion in some way (such as by striking up an impromptu conversation with a stranger, risking embarrassment), and learning that anxiety will pass. Curran adds that despite the perfectionistic urge to “sacrifice ourselves at the altar of our jobs,” research reveals that “employees who give themselves work-life balance are far more productive.” Ultimately, he advises readers to “trust... that you can be happy when things are good enough.” Supported by scholarly research and down-to-earth personal anecdotes, Curran’s explication is smart, thorough, and reassuring. The burned-out will find solace here. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

2023-04-04
A social psychologist shows how perfectionism can hold you back from real achievement and points the way out of the dilemma.

Curran, a psychology professor at the London School of Economics, shows how we are experiencing record levels of burnout, hypercompetitiveness, depression, and anxiety. The reason, he argues, is perfectionism, an impulse that runs through everything from work to personal attractiveness. It is relentless, impossible to satisfy, and inherently dangerous to mental well-being. Curran examines it from various perspectives and provides a self-diagnostic tool called the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Many perfectionists think of themselves as highly productive, but that belief is not supported by the evidence. In fact, perfectionists often repeat the same task over and over again rather than looking for innovations and alternatives. They can also be intolerant of others, which is disruptive in the workplace and in relationships. Still, perfectionism is ubiquitous. We are constantly bombarded with messages telling us to be better, strive harder, and consume more. The filtered, glossy images of social media set impossible standards that cannot be met, although some people go to enormous lengths in attempts to do so. Curran offers solid suggestions on how to avoid the perfection impulse and move into “the Republic of Good Enough.” The best way is with measured steps, coupled with realistic goals and an understanding of where you actually want to go in your life. Unfortunately, he wanders off the point in the final chapter, when he discusses sociopolitical reforms like a universal basic income and progressive taxation. This section has a tinny tone that clashes with the sturdy research of the rest of the book. However, the author delivers many useful lessons and valuable insights, and that might be quite good enough.

Depression and anxiety are at epidemic levels; this book offers an alternative path to a fulfilling, productive life.

Kirkus Reviews

"A powerful, poignant book about the impossibly high expectations that stand in the way of health, happiness, and success. Thomas Curran is the world's leading expert on perfectionism, and he's written the definitive book on why it's rising, how it wreaks havoc on our lives, and what we can do to stop it. If you've ever found yourself fearing failure, ruminating about mistakes, or just feeling that you aren't good enough, this is a must-read."
—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and host of the TED podcast Re:Thinking

“Mr. Curran has produced a manifesto damning our economic system for creating and maintaining a warped set of values that drive perfectionism....I’ve always had a vague sense of these forces, but I’ve never seen this theory laid out so succinctly.... As an explanation of how the destructive illusion of perfectionism arises and as a critique of the economy that creates it, this is an important book.”
—Bill Heavy, Wall Street Journal

"A clear-eyed look at how perfectionism and its capitalistic 'obsession with boundless growth' has contributed to mass discontent and insecurity...Supported by scholarly research and down-to-earth personal anecdotes, Curran’s explication is smart, thorough, and reassuring. The burned-out will find solace here."
—Publishers Weekly

"Timely and bracing...Curran shows that perfectionism corrodes our well-being rather than improves our performance—that it is the very opposite of resilience, flow, and genuine excellence. The Perfection Trap offers a hopeful beacon and a steady path for anyone struggling to find their footing in a world of impossible standards."
—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive and The Power of Regret

"Curran delivers many useful lessons and valuable insights...This book offers an alternative path to a fulfilling, productive life."
—Kirkus Reviews

"This remarkable book will illuminate some insidious effects of perfectionism in your life, as well as in society writ large. The Perfection Trap is research-based, wise, and practical."
—Amy Edmondson, Professor, Harvard Business School and author of Right Kind of Wrong

"A beautiful, reflective, and rigorous exploration of the causes and consequences of perfectionism...a fascinating and panoramic analysis."
—Grace Blakeley, staff writer at Tribune magazine, host of the A World to Win podcast and author of Stolen and The Corona Crash

"Packed with vivid and thought-provoking case studies, this book will transform how you think about success. It reveals how perfectionism has come to plague all our lives—and what we should do in response."
—Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes, coauthors of High Performance

From the Publisher

Curran shows that perfectionism corrodes our well-being rather than improves our performance—that it is the very opposite of resilience, flow, and genuine excellence. The Perfection Trap offers a hopeful beacon and a steady path for anyone struggling to find their footing in a world of impossible standards.”

#1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel H. Pink

A powerful, poignant book…If you’ve ever found yourself fearing failure, ruminating about mistakes, or just feeling that you aren’t good enough, this is a must-read."

New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant