How to Tell If a Man is a Perfectionist

The perfectionist man could be the perfect man if only people were perfect. None of us are. Many in the medical community consider perfectionism a psychological affliction, since it negatively affects one's behavior and can harm the body through excessive amounts of stress. Here are some signs that a man you know is a perfectionist and some ways to help him change his behavior.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Tell if a Man is a Perfectionist

1. Listen to him constantly criticizing the imperfections of others.
2. Find yourself in too many situations where he is criticizing you.
3. Consider that he appears anxious most of the time.
4. Question why he is obsesses over mistakes he has made and is unable to let go and move on.
5. Ask yourself why he has never had a lasting relationship.
6. Wonder why he sets goals that are impossible to reach, but is always working on small easy steps that avoid achieving the end result.
7. Think about why he is always procrastinating.
8. Notice that he never tries to do something a second time that he failed at once.
9. Think about why he stays with a project long after others have given up.

Help a Man Overcome Being a Perfectionist

10. Teach him to stop feeling guilty about everything that doesn't work perfectly.
11. Tell him it's OK to say, "I don't know."
12. Make him learn to accept praise.
13. Show him that not always reaching his goals should not be a measure of his self-worth.
14. Talk to him every time he gets frustrated that he made a small mistake. Tell him you love him for the fact that he made a mistake because it makes you feel better when you make mistakes.
15. Convince him that he has probably been a perfectionist since he was a child, and since he is no longer a child it's OK to change his behavior.
16. Tell him that a mistake is actually an opportunity for something new.
17. Remind him that top athletes and world leaders who make mistakes are highly admired.