How to Be an Imperfectionist
by Stephen Guise · first published 2015
100% recommend
Why HN recommends it
A practical self-help guide to perfectionism that helps readers unravel the illogical beliefs behind it. It is useful for perfectionists and for those stuck in procrastination who want to accept imperfect work.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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If you want more information than can be given by a comment from a friendly stranger, I’d suggest reading “How to Be an Imperfectionist” by Stephen Guise. Although I’d assume that most of the advice in this book is obvious to most people, for a “perfectionist” like me, it helped me to unravel my illogical views of success and personal…
on “Ask HN: How to stop feeling depressed about whether you will be successful?” ↗How to Be an Imperfectionist: The New Way to Self-Acceptance, Fearless Living, and Freedom from Perfectionism I've listened to dozens of self help type books, and this one had an immediate and permanent effect on me. It changed my life. I don't think it will do the same for everyone, but it did for me. I think…
on “Ask HN: Life Changing Books?” ↗I personally found the book How to be an Imperfectionist helpful. I don't remember many specifics, but it did help me feel different and I worried less about looking silly, or fumbling my words, etc. I've read many self-help books, but this is the only one…
on “Ask HN: If you used to be socially awkward and shy, how did you improve?” ↗…Procrastination. My gut says its because many of us grew up being high achievers and quick to pick things up but now we fear being "wrong" or not being perfect. Ugh. Anyways,, I recently came across How to Be an Imperfectionist: The New Way to Self-Acceptance, Fearless Living, and Freedom from Perfectionism by Steven Guise[1] It's been very helpful in making aware of the challenge I have and how to work on changing how I think about things so that I stop worrying about results and focus more on process (and…
on “The Important Habit of Just Starting” ↗I've recently come to realize I've been afflicted with analysis paralysis. It stems from perfectionism and leads to procrastination. I have found How to Be an Imperfectionist: The New Way to Self-Acceptance, Fearless Living, and Freed from Perfectionism ( http://amzn.to/2dyrWcM ) to be very eye opening and helpful in overcoming perfectionism.
on “Ask HN: Opposite of not invented here?” ↗…priority. Early this week I was talking to a friend about this article: https://taylorpearson.me/fast/ - basically, at 70% you should just launch something. It coincided with a great book I’ve been reading (‘How to Be an Imperfectionist’). This project seemed to be a (/another) prime example of something I start, that gets to 70% and remains un-launched. So he said “Why don’t you just launch it?” The ‘perfectionist’ in me hates the…
on “Show HN: Five Things Today – a super simple to-do list” ↗Not wabi-sabi specifically but the book "How to be an imperfectionist" was spot on and really helpful for me
on “Overthinking (2021)” ↗