Today, burnout and depression are at record levels, driven by a combination of intense workplace competition, the comparative world of social media, the quest for elite credentials, and helicopter parenting. Society continually broadcasts the need to want more, and that we have to be perfect to get it. Why is this a trap, and how can we escape it?
Gathering a wide range of contemporary evidence, acclaimed professor at the London School of Economics Thomas Curran calls for both a mindset shift and broader, societal change. He explores the paradoxical effects of perfectionism on everything from performance to social and financial inequality, and shows what we can do as individuals to resist the modern-day pressure to be perfect – and how we can create a culture that celebrates the joys of imperfection.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the soul-crushing need to compete for more or to be the best, The Perfection Trap is for you. Learn to prioritise what’s important, meet the world where it is and strive for purpose instead of more by embracing the power of ‘good enough’ in your life.
A vigorous case for perfectionism as a cultural phenomenon
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
A really important book
Most of us need this book in our lives - for me it was transformative
A powerful, poignant book on the impossibly high expectations that stand in the way of happiness, health, and success
This remarkable book will illuminate some insidious effects of perfectionism in your life, as well as in society
A hopeful beacon and a steady path for anyone struggling to find their footing in a world of impossible standards
An amazing book