The thing about that is that kind of "positive thinking" crap never works for me. I'm smart enough to logically know perfection isn't really possible in anything. The trouble is that just like SA, the need for absolute perfection in everything is completely irrational and it's entirely possible to know that and still not be able to change the thought process. Just knowing it isn't rational isn't enough.
I think the need for perfection, in my case, started off as something rational, but it has now turned into an irrational mindset.
I was always overly self-critical, ever since I can remember. That's probably something I picked up from my family when I was younger, as they always liked to criticize people. The people who were most criticized were those people who aimed high and failed miserably.
And so I grew up with that mindset a lot, and I kept reminding myself never to over-extend myself or reach beyond what I was capable of. The ironic thing is there were a lot of things that I could've reached for and gotten, but I was always too afraid, in case I failed. It also has a lot to do with feeling self-conscious, thinking that there are people out there watching my every move, waiting for me to fail so they could say I told you so.
So unless I knew I could do it 100%, I just didn't try. But for the things I did try, I would put 100% of my effort into it.
I still think I need to do more of that, try more often, even if at the risk of failure. I need to try to undo my mindset. I want to start little by little, take on small things and then hopefully gradually build up from there. I know it won't be a smooth transition, and most of it will be one-step-forward-two-steps-back movements, but I still ought to try.