Are You a Perfectionist?

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Quiz Questions

1.
How "busy" are you?
- A.
  
  Let me check my schedule and see when I have an opening to think about answering that question... how's January 8th, 2022?
- B.
  
  Very busy... but I always make time for those closest to me
- C.
  
  Sort of busy... I'm able to take time for myself once in a while
- D.
  
  Not very busy... I have more than enough downtime.
2.
How do you feel when you reach a goal?
- A.
  
  Ambivalent, and ready to buckle down and get back to work
- B.
  
  Somewhat satisfied with myself
- C.
  
  I'm ecstatic! And I make sure to take plenty of time to celebrate
- D.
  
  Unsatisfied. Looking back I should have been able to reach the goal faster or done a better job.
3.
What happens when you make a mistake?
- A.
  
  Mistakes? I work twice as hard and review my work frequently so that I barely ever make a mistake
- B.
  
  I feel ashamed and feel like an idiot for messing up
- C.
  
  Disappointed, but I get over it pretty quickly
- D.
  
  I embrace mistakes, they are part of the learning process
4.
What are your expectations of yourself?
- A.
  
  I have very high expectations for myself to be good looking, smart, kind, and helpful... but I don't expect others to be the same
- B.
  
  I try to be the best I can be and I hold others to the same standards
- C.
  
  I try to be the best I can be, but I have compassion for my own weaknesses and mistakes
- D.
  
  My expectations are average - we are all human after all
5.
How do you feel when you go on vacation?
- A.
  
  Tense and anxious, it makes me feel uncomfortable to be unproductive
- B.
  
  Somewhat preoccupied with work and other responsibilities
- C.
  
  I'm living my best live with no worries whatsoever!
- D.
  
  Very ready for a break from my extremely busy life
6.
What type of motivation gets you going?
- A.
  
  The threat of punishing myself if I don't perform
- B.
  
  Strong self-discipline
- C.
  
  Comparing myself to others and making sure I'm on top
- D.
  
  Curiosity and self-discovery
7.
When you are given a large task at work that you don't know how to do...
- A.
  
  I feel extremely anxious and procrastinate on starting the task
- B.
  
  I start but get discouraged really quickly
- C.
  
  I reach out for help and guidance from my supervisor or coworker right away to gain momentum
- D.
  
  I down another cup of coffee and prepare for another late night at the office again
8.
How do you feel when a friend gets a big raise at work?
- A.
  
  Mostly envious. I can fake smile and congratulate her, but inside I compare myself and feel like I'm falling short.
- B.
  
  I feel slightly envious but I'm able to be fully present for her.
- C.
  
  Happy for her.
- D.
  
  Inspired. I am in awe of her accomplishment and love to see other women doing well.
9.
At a dinner party hosted by a friend, I would usually be thinking...
- A.
  
  About the food, atmosphere, etc, and how I would do things differently or better if I was hosting
- B.
  
  About whether or not I am being friendly/fun enough
- C.
  
  About how lucky I am to have such generous friends
- D.
  
  About the appearances and behaviours of the other guests
10.
What do you like to do in your spare time at home?
- A.
  
  More work, a side hustle or second job, or household chores (those baseboards aren't going to clean themselves!)
- B.
  
  Mostly watch TV, browse social media, or household chores
- C.
  
  I keep my space tidy but have time to relax
- D.
  
  I fill my alone time with pleasurable activities that relax and center me
11.
What do you feel like when you disappoint someone?
- A.
  
  I can't forgive myself. I can't bear the shame.
- B.
  
  Embarrassed and quick to make it up to them any way you can.
- C.
  
  A little upset, but I know I did my best.
- D.
  
  Unbothered. Other people's feelings are none of my business.
12.
You baked a beautiful cake from scratch to bring to a potluck. When another guest shows up with a cheap, store-bought dessert, you think...
- A.
  
  That's lazy. I would be embarrassed to show up with that.
- B.
  
  That person must not know how to cook or bake.
- C.
  
  I wouldn't think to bring that. I hope it tastes good.
- D.
  
  I'm glad everyone is contributing.
13.
Would you consider yourself an overthinker?
- A.
  
  Yes
- B.
  
  No
14.
When you look in the mirror, do you usually think...
- A.
  
  Wow, I look amazing!
- B.
  
  Oh my god this outfit makes me look cheap but I have nothing better to wear... and I really need a haircut
- C.
  
  Yep, that's me!
- D.
  
  I look so disgusting, how could anyone find me attractive?
15.
After a performance review at work, you...
- A.
  
  Feel inspired and energized, now having clarity about what to work on and how to improve
- B.
  
  Feel a little bit embarrassed to have your weaknesses highlighted, and hopeless about how to change your boss' impression
- C.
  
  Can't stop obsessing over the negative aspects of the review, and beat yourself up for not getting better scores

Quiz Outcomes

1.

You are a functioning perfectionist!

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I have bad news for you: You are definitely a perfectionist.On the outside, you look like a great success. You are doing it all. Balancing a career with your relationships and home life like a champion. You don't complain, you think positively, and you almost never say "no".If you have kids, you are the mom that the other parents look to, shaking their heads and wonder, "How does she do it?"You might bring a beautiful homemade pie to the potluck. You clean every inch of your house before guests arrive. You are an absolute machine at work - you are the first to rush in and fix a problem, or to do extra hours when you are working on an important task. Wait a minute...this doesn't sound so bad... isn't perfection a good thing? Doesn't that mean I strive to be the best and push myself hard towards my goals?Many of us do believe being a perfectionist is a good thing. But I can guarantee being a perfectionist is holding you back from living the joyful, pleasure-filled, vibrant life you truly desire and deserve.I'm willing to bet you are in a bit of denial. Beneath your Stepford veneer, you might be experiencing anxiety, overwhelm, procrastination, and a feeling of "falling short" in life. You might feel like there is never enough time, energy, resources, or chances for you to "do it all".And, although you are productive, once you complete a goal or reach a milestone, you rarely feel a sense of satisfaction or accomplishment. You might struggle with sleep, with a bad relationship with food or substances, or have secret days when you can't leave the couch, exhausted and overwhelmed. You might even have problems with anger.How do I know? This used to be me.My name is Olive von Topp, burlesque performer, empowerment coach & recovering perfectionist. The thing is, perfect doesn’t exist. It’s a fallacy. By trying to be perfect we are always chasing an impossible standard, which means we never feel like enough. This can result in procrastination, low self-esteem, poor boundaries, over-work & exhaustion, feeling stuck, and even depression, to name a few symptoms. Do these sound familiar to you?I'm willing to bet you are self-critical because you think it will motivate you to achieve your goals. The funny thing is, people who are highly self-critical actually have lower self-esteem and higher levels of stress. You know when it’s hard to motivate yourself? When you don’t believe you are a person of value who can do things well!Research shows that people who practice self-compassion have higher self-esteem and are more willing to take risks (which are necessary for achieving goals) because they don't make their failures and mistakes mean something about them personally and they practice self-compassion when they fail.So how do you develop self-compassion & stop being so damn hard on yourself?How do you even know where to start? I can help - read on.
2.

You are a Classic Perfectionist

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I have bad news for you: You are definitely a perfectionist.Here are some traits that may be familiar to you:You have high standards for yourselfYou are detail-orientedYou are goal-drivenYou are afraid to make mistakesYou are critical of yourself and othersYou have a hard time relaxingYou are an overthinkerYou never feel satisfied, even when you reach a goalYou dwell on your mistakes and imperfectionsYou often feel stressed, rushed, or anxiousBut wait a minute... isn't perfection a good thing? Doesn't that mean I strive to be the best and push myself hard towards my goals?Many of us do believe being a perfectionist is a good thing. But I can guarantee being a perfectionist is holding you back from living the joyful, pleasure-filled, vibrant life you truly desire and deserve.How do I know? This used to be me.My name is Olive von Topp, burlesque performer, empowerment coach & recovering perfectionist. The thing is, perfect doesn’t exist. It’s a fallacy. By trying to be perfect we are always chasing an impossible standard, which means we never feel like enough. This can result in procrastination, low self-esteem, poor boundaries, over-work & exhaustion, feeling stuck, and even depression, to name a few symptoms. Do these sound familiar to you?I'm willing to bet you are self-critical because you think it will motivate you to achieve your goals. The funny thing is, people who are highly self-critical actually have lower self-esteem and higher levels of stress. You know when it’s hard to motivate yourself? When you don’t believe you are a person of value who can do things well!Research shows that people who practice self-compassion have higher self-esteem and are more willing to take risks (which are necessary for achieving goals) because they don't make their failures and mistakes mean something about them personally and they practice self-compassion when they fail.So how do you develop self-compassion & stop being so damn hard on yourself?It takes a bit of work, but I have a proven method....
3.

You are a Semi-Perfectionist

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I've got good news, and I've got bad news. Want the good news first?You are a person who is sometimes able to quiet their inner critic and accept themselves for who they are. You have moments where you are at peace with your appearance, your performance at work, and your home life. You have okay boundaries. You can usually say "no" to extra work, or requests that would make you too busy.When faced with failure or when you make a mistake, you are usually able to get over the pain and embarrassment quickly enough to get on with your work, and you don't let it ruin your whole week. Great work.Your expectations for yourself may be very high in some areas, and normal in other areas. You may have some particular areas of your life that give you anxiety and stress.And now the bad news...You still have some perfectionist tendencies. Perhaps you ruminate too long about those times you do make mistakes. Or perhaps you procrastinate on starting tasks because you are too afraid of doing a bad job.But wait a minute, isn't perfectionism a good thing? Wouldn't being more of a perfectionist actually make me... better?Many of us do believe being a perfectionist is a good thing. But I can guarantee being a perfectionist is holding you back from living the joyful, pleasure-filled, vibrant life you truly desire and deserve.How do I know? This used to be me.My name is Olive von Topp, burlesque performer, empowerment coach & recovering perfectionist. The thing is, perfect doesn’t exist. It’s a fallacy. By trying to be perfect we are always chasing an impossible standard, which means we never feel like enough. This can result in procrastination, low self-esteem, poor boundaries, over-work & exhaustion, feeling stuck, and even depression, to name a few symptoms. Do these sound familiar to you?I'm willing to bet you are self-critical because you think it will motivate you to achieve your goals. The funny thing is, people who are highly self-critical actually have lower self-esteem and higher levels of stress. You know when it’s hard to motivate yourself? When you don’t believe you are a person of value who can do things well!Research shows that people who practice self-compassion have higher self-esteem and are more willing to take risks (which are necessary for achieving goals) because they don't make their failures and mistakes mean something about them personally and they practice self-compassion when they fail.So how do you develop self-compassion & stop being so damn hard on yourself?I can't promise it will be easy, but I know just how to help...
4.

Congratulations... You are Not a Perfectionist!

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O.K. smarty pants, you are a rare being! You live a balanced life, free from perfectionist tendencies. Wait... so I'm not perfect? That's bad, isn't it?? Not quite...This means that you are more likely to be generally "at peace" with yourself. Acceptance of yourself and where you are at comes natural to you. You don't get phased when you have an "off" day.You are willing to try new activities and take on new responsibilities with a "do your best" attitude. You aren't afraid of failure, or of making a fool of yourself. This allows you to live in the moment, to have fun, and to take new opportunities by the horns in your life. When you do make a mistake or fail, you are usually quick to be kind to yourself and recognise that everyone messes up sometimes, and this is just a part of human nature. Since you don't dwell on your failures, you recover more quickly and are ready to try again sooner.You generally know when to take a break. You know when to set limits with your time, and to say "no" to invitations, demands, or requests that are outside of your abilities or desires. Some people think that being self-critical will motivate them to achieve their goals. The funny thing is, people who are highly self-critical actually have lower self-esteem and higher levels of stress. You know when it’s hard to motivate yourself? When you don’t believe you are a person of value who can do things well!Research shows that people who practice self-compassion (like you!) have higher self-esteem and are more willing to take risks (which are necessary for achieving goals) because they don't make their failures and mistakes mean something about them personally.I was going to use this opportunity to let you know about some of the coaching work I do in helping women free themselves of their perfectionist tendencies, but it doesn't look like you need it! If you are interested in the work I do, or know a friend who struggles with perfectionism, head on over to my blog.

Are You a Perfectionist?

Do you need things to be.... just right? Are you uncomfortable at the thought of not finishing a task, or not getting a perfect score or review? You might just be a perfectionist.

Quiz Questions

Quiz Outcomes