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Living with this perfectionist mind (v1)

Living with this perfectionist mind (v1)

Can you imagine not being proud of your achievements or, perhaps, the constant feeling that you're not good enough?

Despite the challenges I've overcome, that's usually how I feel. And, yeah, at a certain point you (kind of) get used to it. However, I cannot afford to endlessly seek perfection in every single thing I do.

We'll cover here some of the traits I carry, their impact in my life and work, and the techniques I use that help me to be productive. Hopefully, these ideas will help you to improve your own work or understand your colleagues who might also have these traits - and help them.

Luís Cobucci

December 14, 2020
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  1. Luís Cobucci Luís Cobucci @lcobucci @lcobucci Living with Living with

    this this perfectionist mind perfectionist mind
  2. People People in our industry are in our industry are

    struggling struggling with their mental health with their mental health
  3. We re here to talk ’ We re here to

    talk ’ To have mental health issues is to be To have mental health issues is to be human human Anything Anything human human is is mentionable mentionable Anything mentionable is Anything mentionable is manageable manageable
  4.  I’m a software engineer, I’m a software engineer, not

    not a psychologist a psychologist Buuuuuut Buuuuuut 
  5. Perfectionism is a Perfectionism is a personality trait personality trait

    that (usually) that (usually) leads someone to: leads someone to:
  6. Perfectionism is a Perfectionism is a personality trait personality trait

    that (usually) that (usually) leads someone to: leads someone to:   Strive for flawlessness Strive for flawlessness
  7. Perfectionism is a Perfectionism is a personality trait personality trait

    that (usually) that (usually) leads someone to: leads someone to:   Strive for flawlessness Strive for flawlessness   Set impossibly high standards Set impossibly high standards
  8. Perfectionism is a Perfectionism is a personality trait personality trait

    that (usually) that (usually) leads someone to: leads someone to:   Strive for flawlessness Strive for flawlessness   Set impossibly high standards Set impossibly high standards   Self-criticism Self-criticism
  9. Perfectionism is the setting of, and striving Perfectionism is the

    setting of, and striving for, very demanding standards that are self- for, very demanding standards that are self- imposed and relentlessly pursued despite this imposed and relentlessly pursued despite this causing problems. It involves basing one’s causing problems. It involves basing one’s self-worth almost exclusively on how well self-worth almost exclusively on how well these high standards are met. these high standards are met. Shafran, Egan, Wade (2010) Shafran, Egan, Wade (2010)  
  10. Perfectionism is the setting of, and striving Perfectionism is the

    setting of, and striving for, for, very demanding standards very demanding standards that are that are self- self- imposed imposed and and relentlessly pursued relentlessly pursued despite this despite this causing problems. It involves basing one’s causing problems. It involves basing one’s self-worth almost exclusively on how well self-worth almost exclusively on how well these high standards are met. these high standards are met. Shafran, Egan, Wade (2010) Shafran, Egan, Wade (2010)  
  11. Perfectionism is the setting of, and striving Perfectionism is the

    setting of, and striving for, for, very demanding standards very demanding standards that are that are self- self- imposed imposed and and relentlessly pursued relentlessly pursued despite this despite this causing problems. It involves causing problems. It involves basing one’s basing one’s self-worth self-worth almost exclusively on almost exclusively on how well how well these high standards are met these high standards are met. . Shafran, Egan, Wade (2010) Shafran, Egan, Wade (2010)  
  12. Is it Is it always always bad? bad? Well, not

    really... Well, not really...
  13. If we just look at Google/YouTube search results If we

    just look at Google/YouTube search results
  14. If we just look at Google/YouTube search results If we

    just look at Google/YouTube search results
  15. If we just look at Google/YouTube search results If we

    just look at Google/YouTube search results
  16. If we just look at Google/YouTube search results If we

    just look at Google/YouTube search results
  17. If we just look at Google/YouTube search results If we

    just look at Google/YouTube search results
  18. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? https://youtu.be/NpVfwjFX3Tg https://youtu.be/NpVfwjFX3Tg
  19. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem
  20. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations
  21. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task
  22. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Avoids Avoids
  23. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids
  24. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids
  25. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements
  26. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism
  27. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism Anxiety Anxiety
  28. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism Anxiety Anxiety Depression Depression
  29. What’s the problem with the maladaptive perfectionism? What’s the problem

    with the maladaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism Anxiety Anxiety Depression Depression OCPD OCPD
  30. Oh the shame! Oh the shame! We all got to

    do our research. We all got to do our research. So, no cheating... So, no cheating...
  31. Oh the shame! Oh the shame! We all got to

    do our research. We all got to do our research. So, no sh*tting... So, no sh*tting...   COBUCCI, Luís (2016) COBUCCI, Luís (2016)
  32. How can we shift to adaptive perfectionism? How can we

    shift to adaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism
  33. How can we shift to adaptive perfectionism? How can we

    shift to adaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism
  34. How can we shift to adaptive perfectionism? How can we

    shift to adaptive perfectionism? Low self-esteem Low self-esteem Rigid standards Rigid standards and expectations and expectations Task Task Temporarily Temporarily meets standards meets standards Doesn’t meet Doesn’t meet standards standards Avoids Avoids Undermines Undermines achievements achievements Self-criticism Self-criticism
  35. Manifesto for agile software development Manifesto for agile software development

    Working software is the Working software is the primary measure of progress primary measure of progress
  36. Manifesto for agile software development Manifesto for agile software development

    Working software is the Working software is the primary measure of progress primary measure of progress Continuous attention to technical Continuous attention to technical excellence enhances agility excellence enhances agility
  37. Manifesto for agile software development Manifesto for agile software development

    Working software is the Working software is the primary measure of progress primary measure of progress Continuous attention to technical Continuous attention to technical excellence enhances agility excellence enhances agility Simplicity -- the art of Simplicity -- the art of maximising the amount of maximising the amount of work not done – is essential work not done – is essential
  38. OSS as a way to let off steam OSS as

    a way to let off steam