Page 463 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

on the rims, watermarks on the car, and gray streaks on
whitewalls, and my perfectionistic nature shrank from

doing less than my best. I was forced to turn in my T-

shirt before the month was over.

Perfectionism also makes me my own worst critic. I

know that others do not see me as negatively as I see
myself. To my teachers, I seem like a serious student

who usually does well. To my friends and

acquaintances, I am a funny, likeable guy, and to their

parents, I am a well-mannered young man. Even my

boss at the car wash could not deny that I worked hard.

But I see only my failures. I see the question I missed on
a test, not the ones I answered correctly. I notice my

social blunders, not the times when I handled myself

well. Perfectionism magnifies my faults and shrinks my

good qualities. It means that no matter how hard I try or

how well I do, there is one person that I can never
please—myself.

Perfectionism affects my performance in high-pressure

situations, the speed of my work, and the way I see

myself. It may be true that nobody is perfect, but
unfortunately, that has not stopped me from trying.

Questions