Hi. I'm a perfectionist. Just like many other people in the population, I feel the need to make everything in my being as best as it can be. When people comment on my work, I often hear, "Wow, you're such a perfectionist! Great job on that art project!" or "You don't have to be such a perfectionist, it's fine the way it is!" Trust me, I know. In some ways, being a perfectionist may seem like a good thing -- always having great end-jobs to a project or assignment and seeming extremely dedicated to everything you do -- but in reality, being a perfectionist isn't always so perfect.

To me, my perfectionism is a constant stressor in my life. For every assignment or project, I go through the same routine. Here is a little look into what being a perfectionist can actually be like:

I receive an assignment or decide to take on a project. Is it going to be simple of difficult? If it's simple, great! This shouldn't be too hard. If it's a little bit more difficult, that's okay, I just have to decide how I want to tackle the project.

Okay, now it's time to start. At this point, the project goes smoothly. I make sure I included all of the proper criteria, and all of the bases are covered.

But wait, I'm not finished just yet.

Now I have to go back and make sure there are no large mistakes -- spelling errors, improper grammar, everything is where it should be.

At this point, most everyone else would say their project is complete.

But not me.

Now, it's time to go and make sure there are no small mistakes.

Everything is colored inside the lines, no single word is repeated too many times, everything is symmetrical.

Am I done yet? Not quite.

The text must be aligned evenly with the paper and with the other text, to the millimeter. The same color ink must be used uniformly throughout the entire piece. The shading has to be perfectly smooth. Everything is to be measured out with the ruler, and guidelines must be established to ensure no mistakes.

Okay, I think I'm done. I've done everything I can do.

I push the "completed" project aside.

The due date isn't until next Wednesday. I guess I can go back and make sure everything is still looking good.

Now that I've read that back, I think some changes are needed. It doesn't look quite right.

Now that I'm looking at it in this light, it doesn't look that good.

Now that I read it aloud, it doesn't sound quite right.

Done. Finally.

I'll do one last check, just before it's due.

Still not right. Something is still not right. Everything is still. not. right. What is it? What could it be? What is off? I need to find it. I need to fix it. It needs to be perfect.

But wait -- it's Wednesday. It's due. My incomplete complete assignment is done. There is nothing more I can do.

I turn it in, hesitantly.

I needed more time. I could have done one more revision. It could have been perfect.

But the truth is, to me, it never would have been perfect. Because not matter how many times I look at something I've done, I will find something that isn't quite right. And that is what being a perfectionist can really be like. Perfectionism isn't perfect, because I'm not perfect -- I just have yet to accept it.