Publisher Description
In the bestselling tradition of Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection, this illuminating book by an acclaimed professor at the London School of Economics explores how the pursuit of perfection can become a dangerous obsession that leads to burnout and depression—keeping us from achieving our goals.
Today, burnout and depression are at record levels, driven by a combination of intense workplace competition, constant social media compelling us to compare ourselves to others, the quest for elite credentials, and helicopter parenting. Society continually broadcasts the need to want more, and to be perfect. Here, in The Perfection Trap, author Thomas Curran tells us to stop chasing perfection and instead, encourages us to embrace “good enough.”
Gathering a wide range of contemporary evidence, Curran calls for both a mindset shift and broader, societal change. His three main principles to live by are:
1. let things go (prioritize what’s important)
2. meet the world where it is (accept disappointment and calmly pivot in a new direction)
3. strive for “purpose” instead of “more” (commit to causes beyond yourself that have bigger meaning)
Curran explores the paradoxical effects of perfectionism on performance and shows how perfectionism contributes to social problems and even psychological pain. He shows what we can do as individuals to resist the modern-day pressure to be perfect—and how we can create a culture that celebrates the joys of imperfection.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the soul-crushing need to compete for more or to be the best, The Perfection Trap is for you. Now you can find enlightenment, purpose, and joy by letting go and focusing on what matters most to you—regardless of whether it meets someone else’s definition of perfect.
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“Curran shows that perfectionism corrodes our well-being rather than improves our performance—that it is the very opposite of resilience, flow, and genuine excellence. The Perfection Trap offers a hopeful beacon and a steady path for anyone struggling to find their footing in a world of impossible standards.”
—
Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author
About Thomas Curran
Thomas Curran is the author of the book The Perfection Trap. His TED talk on perfectionism has received more than three million views. His research has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New Scientist, and CNN, and he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. He grew up in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, and studied at De Montfort University and the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, where he received his PhD in psychology. He taught at several universities in Australia and the UK before joining the department of psychological and behavioral science at the London School of Economics as a professor in 2019.
About Sid Sagar
DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world leading illustrated reference publisher and a member of the Penguin Random House division of Bertelsmann. DK publishes highly visual, photographic non-fiction for adults and children. DK produces content for consumers in over 100 countries and over 60 languages, with offices in the UK, India, US, Germany, China, Canada, Spain and Australia.
DK’s aim is to inspire, educate and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivaled clarity to a wide range of topics, with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect.