Perfectionism and the Thief of Joy with Thomas Curran

The Gently Used Human with Dr. Scott Lyons

In a world where the pursuit of perfection often becomes a relentless race, have you ever paused to wonder what truly lies at the heart of perfectionism? Is it an internal drive towards excellence, or a mask for our own feelings of unworthiness, a manifestation of internal shame?

In today’s episode, Dr. Scott welcomes Dr. Thomas Curran, a world-leading expert on perfectionism, author of The Perfectionism Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough, and associate professor of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics. Dr. Thomas has spent many years studying the cloak of perfectionism and how it negatively impacts our lives. In this episode, he breaks it all down for us, including how to understand the relationship of perfectionism to mental health, the social component of perfectionism, and the paradoxical way it blocks our path to genuine success and joy.

So, whether you've been caught in the snare of self-loathing for not meeting those sky-high goals or you’re simply seeking permission to embrace your beautifully imperfect self, this conversation is for you.

Topics We Break Down:

• Why perfectionism is and what it isn’t.
• The cost of perfectionism and why it isn’t worth it.
• Why the perfectionist is also the procrastinator.
• How to find joy in things you don’t do well.
• Vulnerability and how it brings us closer.