When Perfect Isn't Good Enough: Strategies for Coping with Perfectionism

by Richard P. Swinson, Martin M. Antony, Richard Swinson

Book Overview

It's only natural to want to avoid making mistakes, but imperfection is a part of being human. And while perfectionists are often praised for their abilities, being constantly anxious about details can hold you back and keep you from reaching your full potential. In this fully revised and updated second edition of When Perfect Isn't Good Enough, you'll discover the root cause of your perfectionism, explore the impact of perfectionism on your life,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 157224559X
• ISBN13: 9781572245594
• Release Date: February 2009
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Good experience

Nothing to complain about. Got here fast, in the promised condition. Would buy from this seller again.

Extremely helpful

I worked through this book nine months ago and have since enjoyed the most productive, creative, and calmest nine months of my career. I thought the first part, Understanding Perfectionism, would be a waste of time, but it helped me to realize I had perfectionist tendencies in several areas of my life. The second and third parts present methods to assess and overcome perfectionism. The methods are specific and numerous; you are led to select those that are most applicable to your situation. I have been amazed at how well the book targeted my problems and at how much this book has helped.I highly recommend Antony and Swinson's book for anyone with perfectionist tendencies.

A "Perfect" Book

I have been a perfectionist my whole life. At school, at work, in my relationships, even my looks -- I have always tried to be perfect. Needless to say, this takes a lot of time and energy. Everyone is always telling me to relax, but I have never been able to. Antony and Swinson's book is the first thing that I have read that has truly helped. They provided me with strategies that were easy to understand and have really helped me to relax my standards and view things in a more rational way. I still have some rough days and when I do, I pull this book off my shelf and get a refresher on the strategies that I should be using. I will keep this book, and refer to it, for many years to come. Thanks SO much Drs. Antony and Swinson!

A very informative, helpful and interesting book

This is really a great book. For a layperson like myself who's looking for an intelligent, informed discussion of perfectionism, and suggestions for how to find relief from its more negative aspects, "When Perfect Isn't Good Enough" strikes an excellent balance between an overly technical professional text and the all-too-common self-help book that's too high on fluff and too low on content. This book - which I very much enjoyed reading - is packed with useful information (and good exercises) on how to break free from patterns of perfectionistic thinking and behavior; and it contains what I thought were interesting and insightful discussions on how perfectionism ties together with depression, anger, social anxiety, worry, and other "not so pleasant" dispositions that many of us realize to some degree or other. I found the book quite helpful, and expect to get a fair bit more out of it. Antony and Swinson are clearly experts. Of all the books I've read or looked at on the topic, this one's the best. I highly recommend it.

A "Must Have" Book!

"When Perfect Isn't Good Enough" is a "must have" book for any individual struggling with issues of perfectionism. In this one of a kind volume, Dr. Antony challenges our glorified conception of perfectionistic thinking and behavior, exposing the many personal, occupational, and interpersonal costs of assuming that "nothing less than perfect will do." What sets this book apart from any other that I've read is its comprehensive, common sense approach to the topic, combined with a workbook format that allows the reader to apply the information to his or her own life. This was extremely powerful! In addition to providing information about possible causes of perfectionism and links to other conditions, Dr. Antony guides the reader through a personal assessment of his or her own style of perfectionism, developing a specific plan for changing perfectionistic thoughts and behaviors, and evaluating one's progress over time. The book contains numerous examples of effective self-change strategies that others have used to overcome this problem. As a clinician, I have already recommended "When Perfect Isn't Good Enough" to several clients who have found it extremely helpful. I would highly recommend this book to all individuals who would like to free themselves from the agony of perfectionistic thinking. It is an essential item for the library of every mental health professional.