The advice we hear on perfectionism is always the same - let go of it! Forget it! Perfectionism is bad for you. But what if it isn''t? In The Perfectionist''s Guide to Losing Control , Katherine Morgan Schafler identifies five types of perfectionists - Classic, Parisian, Messy, Angry, and Procrastinator. She guides us through the simultaneously painful and gratifying process of identifying our specific type(s) and helps us leave behind patterns of self-punishment. Instead we learn the skills to harness our unique gifts productively. In addition to handy self-assessments and actionable advice tailored to the unique needs of each type of perfectionist, we also learn how to best partner with other types for the greatest synergy of characteristics. We can even apply these principles to identify the traits of our spouse, boss, children, and friends, giving us a leg up in learning how to work together more smoothly and with deeper understanding. When we stop trying to squash our inner perfectionist, we can finally relax into self-acceptance and curiosity-losing the need to control our natural instincts in order to find more meaningful, authentic power.
