Books and articles on the subject of “putting an end to perfectionism” can currently be found everywhere. Perfectionism is old school; it can go. Happiness lies in freeing yourself from the desire to be perfect and taking a more relaxed view of life, according to many sources.

This may make some people breathe a sigh of relief. Is this really a new trend that will make life easier, which would certainly be desirable?

Or is the result of a broad movement away from perfectionism exactly the opposite: it is becoming more stressful for everyone.

Five theses from GloriousMe:

1 Trust, look who

The articles, lectures and books on the subject of “Getting away from perfectionism” often come from people who have achieved their own success with a good dose of perfectionism. Could it be that they don’t want to see any other gods next to them?

2 All-inclusive instead of individual

Declaring perfectionism to be a negative characteristic that can lead to illness may be playing on fear. Who wants to risk their health? But where is the medical evidence? The opposite may also be true.

3 The supposedly female gene

Interestingly, the perfectionism gene is attributed more to women than men, sometimes accompanied by a slightly condescending roll of the eyes.

The demand to be perfect in all private and professional areas can indeed be too much.

However, it is not perfectionism that is to blame, but a lack of prioritization, where perfectionism is important and where it is less so, sometimes a lack of self-confidence or simply a lack of opportunity to spread tasks over several shoulders.

4 Double standards

Perfectionism is indispensable in many important areas. Trend gurus who advise against perfectionism and postulate that five can also be an even number expect nothing less than perfection from the airline pilot piloting the plane in which they are traveling to the next lecture series.

5 Cherry blossom

Perfectionism ultimately only exists in nature. A cherry blossom, like so many things in nature, is perfect for a brief glimpse.

In Japan, the cherry blossom is admired and celebrated. The cherry blossom is a symbol of the beauty and fragility of life.

Perfectionism is a passion

Perfectionism also means that someone is particularly passionate about a subject that is close to his or her heart. The desire for the perfect bread, the perfect music, the perfect picture, the perfect dish, the perfect journey, as The Passionist already has in its name.

The degree of perfectionism is in the eye of the beholder, but wouldn’t our lives be much poorer without people who are passionate about completing a topic perfectly and are not satisfied with “It’s okay”?

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Heston Blumenthal, the highly decorated chef from England, has named his restaurant at Heathrow Airport The Perfectionist Café. We tried it out and didn’t find it quite so perfect, but we admire his perfect marketing.

With his striving for perfection, he is far closer to us than those who don’t even try and thus generally make life more difficult for everyone else by blithely living by their own rules and standards and expecting the rest to accept their half-finished things and lend a hand themselves.

Here, a lack of perfectionism is simply selfishness. Why should everyone else iron out, finish, take responsibility and spend more time than necessary?

Step by step, standards and expectations are lowered to such an extent that everything ultimately becomes mediocre.

The perfect moment

The perfect moment is an oxymoron. Time never stands still and perfectionism is not the order of the day when it comes to enjoying time with loved ones. The Japanese cherry blossom festival, Hamami, is celebrated extensively with friends, family and work colleagues.

The perfect moment is different for everyone. It would be perfect not to stop looking for the perfect moment. The cherry blossoms only once a year.

Cover picture Cherry Blossom Sakura Flowers © Alamy Illustration