Being a perfectionist is a double-edged sword. It has its positives and its negatives. Although, often, perfectionism tends to be seen negatively, it can be helpful in certain circumstances which is probably why it’s so prevalent and goes from generations to generations. The most important thing is if you are a perfectionist you need to be honest with yourself and accept that truth while at the same time build the toolbox of skills to keep you grounded so more of its negatives don’t cripple you or make your life and relationship more difficult than its positives can serve you.
It pushes you to test your own imposed boundaries
Being a perfectionist has its benefits in some situations especially when placed in position that you are unfamiliar with or situations that causes your insecurities to be brought up to the front, it pushes you to test your own self-imposed boundaries to get to an excellent end result. When used appropriately, it can be an asset in that it forces you to be creative, to stretch your perception and perspectives to come up with solution, to achieve a particular goal. The more you push those boundaries and gaining traction and success and even failures, it helps you shape a better understanding of yourself and what matters vs what does not matter to you based on your values.
It makes you uphold a high standard to constantly be improving
The desire to make good decision, excel in everything you do, be the best and not fail is unrealistic because life is a culmination of successes, failures and null. you cannot pick one and leave the others. However, perfectionist trait can be a positive especially when you are able to keep yourself grounded. The self-imposed high standards that perfectionists tend to uphold them to help them to constantly be looking for ways to improve as a person. You want to be in the best shape, so it forces you to exercise even when you don’t want to. You want to be the best student so you study hard and smart to make the best grade. You want to be respected in your workplace or company so you find ways to present yourself more polished, more confident, more creative and innovative etc. In any case you tend to be in this continuous self-improvement journey. The caveat to that is, one must learn to rest and simply live in the moment and enjoy the moment instead of that constant chase.
It helps you with fight procrastination makes you more diligent and careful in your work
Although not 100% bulletproof, perfectionism can help alot with fighting procrastination because of the desire to be the best and not wanting to receive critics and to be found at fault of anything. This aversion to critics and mistakes pushes you to be more diligent in your work especially what is involved other people. It creates a sense of urgency to get something done right so you pay very close attention to details which can improve quality work because of that close attention to details and ensuring everything is done right. If you are neurodivergent, especially people with ADHD, this can be helpful in that it helps minimize the level of careless mistakes that can happen because of that lack of attention.