“The best is the enemy of good,” wrote French historian and philosopher Voltaire. Today that quote seems more appropriate than ever. A longitudinal meta-analysis study from 1989 to 2016 looking at data from more than 41,000 students across the U.S., U.K., and Canada revealed that perfectionism has increased significantly. And in the years since, we’ve endured a global pandemic—an event that prompted many to learn new skills, adapt, and prove themselves in ways they hadn’t been pressed to do before.

The concept of perfectionists who fall prey to their own mentality has become something of a pop-psychology stereotype: procrastination bred from perfectionism. We all know that person who struggles to complete tasks or stay focused, and yet states, “It’s because I’m a perfectionist.” When they do something, they argue, they want it to be perfect—and that pressure prevents them from accomplishing set goals.

 …