114. Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Life?

Frances Arnold pioneered the process of directed evolution — mimicking natural selection to create new enzymes that have changed everything from agriculture to laundry. SOURCES:Frances Arnold, professor of chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. RESOURCES: "Innovatio ... Show More

Steven Pinker’s new book argues that all our relationships depend on shared assumptions and “recursive mentalizing” — our constant efforts to understand what other people are thinking. He and Steve talk about the psychology of eye contact, the particular value of Super Bowl ads, ... Show More

The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg wrote his new book in an attempt to learn how to communicate better. Steve shares how the book helped him understand his own conversational weaknesses. SOURCES:Charles Duhigg, journalist and author. RESOURCES:Supercommunicators: How to Unl ... Show More

Perfectionism takes a serious toll on your mental health and well-being. It's often driven by the fear of not being good enough and involves a desire to get validation from others. It often leads to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Fortunately, there are some things that can ... Show More

Holding yourself to impossibly high standards is self-defeating and makes for a miserable life. Can Dr Laurie Santos find ways to tackle her constant perfectionism so she can perform better and have more fun?  She hears from researcher Thomas Curran about a worrying growth in per ... Show More

Perfectionism might seem like a minor hurdle to overcome – or even a welcome personality trait. But perfectionism is different from simply striving for excellence and perfectionistic people are at higher risk for anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders. Perfectionis ... Show More

Social psychologist Thomas Curran explores how the pressure to be perfect -- in our social media feeds, in school, at work -- is driving a rise in mental illness, especially among young people. Learn more about the causes of this phenomenon and how we can create a culture that ce ... Show More

Perfectionism is on the rise amongst young people, and in this episode we break down exactly what it means to have perfectionist tendencies. We examine the theories of personality, our upbringing, links to OCD and ADHD and what it means for academic performance and anxiety. We al ... Show More

In today’s episode, we tackle perfectionism with Thomas Curran. Thomas is an associate professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, and the author of The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough. We tackle the c ... Show More

A common driver for addiction is perfectionism. When we feel like we don’t have control over our own life and can’t achieve perfection, we seek for something that we can control (in a sex addict’s life, this is lust). When perfectionism drives us, we can develop a defeatist menta ... Show More

Perfectionism is everyone’s favorite flaw. It’s easy to assume that our push to be perfect is what leads to academic, athletic, and professional success. But psychologist Thomas Curran says perfectionism has a dark side, and that there are much healthier ways to strive for excell ... Show More

New episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for free, with 1-week early access for Wondery+ subscribers. --- Actionable advice on working with one of the few socially acceptable vices. Whilst striving for perfection might seem logical on some level, it’s not actuall ... Show More