“I feel much better after realising that no one can be a top performer in every area of daily life.”
Perfectionism is increasing among young people. The problem is not high ambitions, but very high demands combined with excessive self-criticism.
“I used to see an ideal version of myself who achieved everything. If I didn’t attain that standard, I felt I hadn’t done a good enough job,” Ms Hilland says.
In order to make her life better, Ms Hilland confronted these thoughts.
“We should be better at accepting that we’re different and have different strengths and weaknesses.”
Create a balance
Øystein Sandven, a psychologist at Sammen, believes that some young people should adjust their expectations.
“Few people can be perfect at everything. If you’re going to perform well in one area, you often have to sacrifice something else,” he says.
With good wellbeing and balance in your daily life, you’ll have more energy for studying. Therefore, spend time in your daily life on friends, leisure and activities that don’t concern academic performance.
“It’s not good for your health if you push yourself to the limits all the time. You are kinder to yourself if you accept, for example, that 80 percent is good enough. If you reduce your demands, it may also lead to better results in the long-term,” Mr Sandven says.
Ms Hilland agrees.
“It’s not the end of the world if everything isn’t perfect. Life is more than academic performance!”