Standards that help you do well and standards that make finishing difficult

Do not judge high standards in isolation

Western Australia's CCI materials on perfectionism consider not only pursuing high standards but also self-worth and the costs to everyday life. They focus on distinguishing helpful standards from burdensome ones rather than abandoning all standards. This article does not replace the treatment program in those materials.

Explanation reference: CCI · Perfectionism . Everyday examples were written by the editorial team.

Turn standards into concrete task language

For an editorial example, imagine making an announcement. “Make it impossible to criticize” is hard to verify. “The date, place, and required items are accurate and readable on a small screen” can be checked. Writing what your standard is meant to protect helps separate necessary changes from preferences.

Safety-related work, school assignments, and personal hobbies have different completion criteria. The suggestion is to define checks that fit the task's purpose, not to finish everything quickly. Include your responsibilities so that necessary reviews are not skipped.

Notice when a review actually changes the work

Correcting a date in a second review is a useful change. But repeatedly changing the same phrase and returning to the original may mean revisiting a choice without new information. Write one line about what your last edit improved.

You do not need to discard every editing idea. Separate what this version needs from what to try later, preserving ideas while setting a finish line. If you work with others, agree on that scope first.

Separate a single outcome from your whole self

After feedback, write the changes needed separately from what you said to yourself. “Make the title clearer” is an action; “I can't do anything” is a judgment of your whole self. Start by keeping them in different spaces.

The perfectionism draft's three indicators are self-reports about detail checks, awareness of evaluation, and expanding revisions. A high indicator is neither proof of ability nor a diagnosis. Use only the parts that help describe your experience.

A small exercise for today

1. Set three essential completion criteria for something you are working on.
2. Separate changes for this version from ideas for the next.
3. Write when to stop reviewing and which conditions require additional checks.

This exercise does not collect or save answers. Write only as much as feels comfortable on paper or in your own notes.

References and scope of writing

• CCI · Perfectionism
  Checked: 2026-10-14

These sources inform concept explanations; they do not guarantee the validity or effectiveness of this site's questionnaires. Original questionnaire items and treatment worksheets have not been reproduced. Actual There is no content approver or review date yet.