Are you a 'Perfectionist' ? And do you suffer for it?
Discussion
Right, bit of a rant here but also a quite serious question. My friends and family tell me constantly that I'm a perfectionist, but not as a compliment! The fact that I like to do things to the best standard I can within a set of parameters (cost, time etc) seems to really get to people. I'm getting a bit tired of hearing phrases such as; "Oh don't worry about him he's a perfectionist" or "Don't be so OCD just get the Latvians to clean it in Morrisons carpark".
I like to take pride in how well something like a patio that I have laid looks, even if I did have to work hard to get it that way. I like to know that the cylinder head that I rebuilt was done properly, valves ground in by hand and mating faces clean and smooth. Funny how they never complain if it's their car I'm mending though!
It's not as if doing these things takes me forever either. Why is this such a crime? I never point out the mess someone has made of something that they rushed or couldn't be bothered to put in any effort into.
If everybody just settled for 'OK' or took a "that's good enough" attitude whilst sticking to a 'Can't be arsed' (really hate that expression) mantra, where the hell would we all be then?
So, is this just me or do any of you get this amount of stick?
I like to take pride in how well something like a patio that I have laid looks, even if I did have to work hard to get it that way. I like to know that the cylinder head that I rebuilt was done properly, valves ground in by hand and mating faces clean and smooth. Funny how they never complain if it's their car I'm mending though!
It's not as if doing these things takes me forever either. Why is this such a crime? I never point out the mess someone has made of something that they rushed or couldn't be bothered to put in any effort into.
If everybody just settled for 'OK' or took a "that's good enough" attitude whilst sticking to a 'Can't be arsed' (really hate that expression) mantra, where the hell would we all be then?
So, is this just me or do any of you get this amount of stick?
Unfortunately, doing things to the best of your ability is no longer insisted on or rewarded in the commercial world.
Doing a job to the LEAST of your ability (i.e. as quickly as possible with minimum time and costs incurred) is much more the norm.
This culture is now so endemic in peoples' general atitudes that anyone who is "perfectionist" by nature is looked on at best as being a bit odd and at worst, as being a total weirdo.
Doing a job to the LEAST of your ability (i.e. as quickly as possible with minimum time and costs incurred) is much more the norm.
This culture is now so endemic in peoples' general atitudes that anyone who is "perfectionist" by nature is looked on at best as being a bit odd and at worst, as being a total weirdo.
In my job I have to get things correct, all the time. I'm used to working to high standards and it really gets my goat when I pay someone to do something and it can obviously be done to a better standard, for example getting your car back from a main dealer service and they can't be arsed to put all the undertray screws in, or put wiring and pipes in the clips provided for them.
Yes and yes.
I suffer at home because I'm seen as an awkward git who moans about everything and at work because, despite the fact that the company can be sued if I miss anything, I take too long and am 'not commercial'. The slap-dash people never seem to get caught out so it seems I'm the mug.
I suffer at home because I'm seen as an awkward git who moans about everything and at work because, despite the fact that the company can be sued if I miss anything, I take too long and am 'not commercial'. The slap-dash people never seem to get caught out so it seems I'm the mug.
Yes, and it's a pain at work because I can rarely delegate because I only trust one other person not to do a quick fix..... even when there's no time constraint.
Do it correctly, do it once.
The amount of times i've replaced a sensor and found my boss had previously used bullet connectors or insulating tape is shocking. How long does it take to get a soldering iron out, solder and heat shrink sleeving!
At home I did get caught out when fixing two cd/dvd cabinets on the wall, and marked out the holes within a couple of mm's so that the two doors would have a small gap.
Tape measures and spirit levels don't take into account that a masonary drill never drills a hole in a wall where you want it. Consequently I had to space the door hinges with washers
Even when helping people out, I try not to let my standards slip. Help my Dad do wallpapering (which I hate), my Dad was happy to leave sockets, switches, phone points in situ and cut around them. Personally I find it quicker anyway to whip them off the wall rather than try to cut perfectly around them. Same with painting. Simply removing the two screws of sockets and switches and pulling them out slightly shouldn't be the act of a perfectionist.
Do it correctly, do it once.
The amount of times i've replaced a sensor and found my boss had previously used bullet connectors or insulating tape is shocking. How long does it take to get a soldering iron out, solder and heat shrink sleeving!
At home I did get caught out when fixing two cd/dvd cabinets on the wall, and marked out the holes within a couple of mm's so that the two doors would have a small gap.
Tape measures and spirit levels don't take into account that a masonary drill never drills a hole in a wall where you want it. Consequently I had to space the door hinges with washers
Even when helping people out, I try not to let my standards slip. Help my Dad do wallpapering (which I hate), my Dad was happy to leave sockets, switches, phone points in situ and cut around them. Personally I find it quicker anyway to whip them off the wall rather than try to cut perfectly around them. Same with painting. Simply removing the two screws of sockets and switches and pulling them out slightly shouldn't be the act of a perfectionist.
T-bagger said:
Right, bit of a rant here but also a quite serious question. My friends and family tell me constantly that I'm a perfectionist, but not as a compliment! The fact that I like to do things to the best standard I can within a set of parameters (cost, time etc) seems to really get to people. I'm getting a bit tired of hearing phrases such as; "Oh don't worry about him he's a perfectionist" or "Don't be so OCD just get the Latvians to clean it in Morrisons carpark".
I like to take pride in how well something like a patio that I have laid looks, even if I did have to work hard to get it that way. I like to know that the cylinder head that I rebuilt was done properly, valves ground in by hand and mating faces clean and smooth. Funny how they never complain if it's their car I'm mending though!
It's not as if doing these things takes me forever either. Why is this such a crime? I never point out the mess someone has made of something that they rushed or couldn't be bothered to put in any effort into.
If everybody just settled for 'OK' or took a "that's good enough" attitude whilst sticking to a 'Can't be arsed' (really hate that expression) mantra, where the hell would we all be then?
So, is this just me or do any of you get this amount of stick?
I like to take pride in how well something like a patio that I have laid looks, even if I did have to work hard to get it that way. I like to know that the cylinder head that I rebuilt was done properly, valves ground in by hand and mating faces clean and smooth. Funny how they never complain if it's their car I'm mending though!
It's not as if doing these things takes me forever either. Why is this such a crime? I never point out the mess someone has made of something that they rushed or couldn't be bothered to put in any effort into.
If everybody just settled for 'OK' or took a "that's good enough" attitude whilst sticking to a 'Can't be arsed' (really hate that expression) mantra, where the hell would we all be then?
So, is this just me or do any of you get this amount of stick?
Unrelenting standards.
My father was a "Precision Toolmaker" - learnt a lot from him and am (now) grateful for the standards he instilled - competent enough to carry out most DIY jobs to tradespersons' standards.
Perhaps I do have OCD or am Aspergers, possibly even a fussypot.......but there is nothing wrong with a "job well done" and being proud of high standards.
(I am sad enough to measure the distance between cable clips
)
Perhaps I do have OCD or am Aspergers, possibly even a fussypot.......but there is nothing wrong with a "job well done" and being proud of high standards.
(I am sad enough to measure the distance between cable clips
)Edited by T5R+ on Sunday 29th November 16:44
I am an utter pain in the ass to myself.
I cannot relax about anything ever and am totally highly strung over details, I restore cars in my spare time which i find is an excellent foil for my boarderline OCD, it seems to get it out of my system. The only problem is i cannot remove a dirty part from any car and then bolt it back on without cleaning, re-oiling or whatever (most of the time when I am doing work on the firms trucks you can see where i have been because the whole truck is filthy apart from the parts i have touched are concours.)
Wiring has to be neat, soldered, clipped back. Paint has to be flawless or i get a right mood on and it goes back to the paint shop.
My toolsare in a clean roll cabinet and are cleaned before they go back in.
My house is clean, my clothes are clean and i am clean.
It is a mild illness and i recognise it as such. I also get miserable in the winter and my OCD worsens when its rainy.
I like the sun and dry weather. I have no clue why i am still in England during the winters.
I cannot relax about anything ever and am totally highly strung over details, I restore cars in my spare time which i find is an excellent foil for my boarderline OCD, it seems to get it out of my system. The only problem is i cannot remove a dirty part from any car and then bolt it back on without cleaning, re-oiling or whatever (most of the time when I am doing work on the firms trucks you can see where i have been because the whole truck is filthy apart from the parts i have touched are concours.)
Wiring has to be neat, soldered, clipped back. Paint has to be flawless or i get a right mood on and it goes back to the paint shop.
My toolsare in a clean roll cabinet and are cleaned before they go back in.
My house is clean, my clothes are clean and i am clean.
It is a mild illness and i recognise it as such. I also get miserable in the winter and my OCD worsens when its rainy.
I like the sun and dry weather. I have no clue why i am still in England during the winters.
The big issue here has got to be time. Time taken to do the job and time available or allowed to do the job. If you throw enough time at it then within reason any one can make a perfect job.
If it,s your hobby or pastime then time is not an issue. However if it's your job or your livelihood time cost too much and you don't make a profit...........and the kids go hungry.....and the power goes off...we all starve and freeze to death. (well that's how it was in the good old days!)
If it,s your hobby or pastime then time is not an issue. However if it's your job or your livelihood time cost too much and you don't make a profit...........and the kids go hungry.....and the power goes off...we all starve and freeze to death. (well that's how it was in the good old days!)
I used to be the same, then the baby came along. I can quite happily go to sleep if there is a drawer open now. I used to be the one cleaning the cars niggly bits with a toothbrush too, I guess it all depends on priorities / time available.
Has anyone here given an interview and had 'perfectionist' thrown at them as a weakness ? What was your reply ? Out loud reply, and mental reply !
Has anyone here given an interview and had 'perfectionist' thrown at them as a weakness ? What was your reply ? Out loud reply, and mental reply !
ShadownINja said:
It depends on what it is. If it's writing a report or designing marketing material, bring out the OCD guns. If it's cleaning a car or doing my hair, as long as it looks cleaner than it was when I started.
I am pretty much in the same boat. It also depends on time available, if I have three hours to clean a car, it will be spotless. If I have an hour, it will be far cleaner than when I started.Getragdogleg said:
captainzep said:
Just out of interest, all those of you who proudly declare yourselves 'perfectionists', how many people have you killed? You know, in a plastic covered basement with power tools or equivalent?
I bets its lots.
I wouldnt like the mess to be honest. I bets its lots.
Of course. Silly of me.
You're a poisoner.
Perfectionism is only a problem if it is pushed on other people where it is not required.
If you are training someone for a highly skilled trade, or dangerous profession where there life could, quite literally, be on the line if it goes wrong - then it is a good thing,
Or writing a CV, submitting a legal document etc.
On the other extreme, online keyboard warrior spelling nazi types are not a good thing, as they are forcing what they believe on to others without reason (apart from their own pathetic pedantry).
So if you personally suffer from being a perfectionist, I guess it doesn't matter. If you are pushing it on to others and make them suffer for it needlessly, then it is almost like a form of bullying I guess...
All IMO of course.
If you are training someone for a highly skilled trade, or dangerous profession where there life could, quite literally, be on the line if it goes wrong - then it is a good thing,
Or writing a CV, submitting a legal document etc.
On the other extreme, online keyboard warrior spelling nazi types are not a good thing, as they are forcing what they believe on to others without reason (apart from their own pathetic pedantry).
So if you personally suffer from being a perfectionist, I guess it doesn't matter. If you are pushing it on to others and make them suffer for it needlessly, then it is almost like a form of bullying I guess...
All IMO of course.
Without exception, those I have encountered professionally who consider themselves perfectionists are in fact plodders who are terrefied of making a mistake.
They are risk averse, eschew creativity and generally expend more time and resource to achieve a certain goal than anyone else.
If you refuse to risk ever being wrong, you will never have the ability to innovate.
They are risk averse, eschew creativity and generally expend more time and resource to achieve a certain goal than anyone else.
If you refuse to risk ever being wrong, you will never have the ability to innovate.
Justayellowbadge said:
Without exception, those I have encountered professionally who consider themselves perfectionists are in fact plodders who are terrefied of making a mistake.
They are risk averse, eschew creativity and generally expend more time and resource to achieve a certain goal than anyone else.
If you refuse to risk ever being wrong, you will never have the ability to innovate.
I will try new tricks, if i bugger them up i try to work out why, I am about to teach myself to TiG weld, i learnt my skills myself and take pride in a job well done. I try not to "plod" and can complete service work as quick as anyone but normally to a higher standard.They are risk averse, eschew creativity and generally expend more time and resource to achieve a certain goal than anyone else.
If you refuse to risk ever being wrong, you will never have the ability to innovate.
I build cars out of parts. I need to be as creative as possible. I do like to make parts as well, laser cut stuff and problem solving for conversion work is fun !
Edited by Getragdogleg on Sunday 29th November 20:03
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