Perfection Poses Pressures

My favorite quote has always been, "shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you will land among the stars." Therefore I believe aiming for perfection is a fine goal, as long as it is understood that perfection is unattainable. Not that I have ever had this problem, but I know that some people have experienced real problems when too much perfection is expected of them. Just like aiming for perfection, expecting perfection is completely unfair. People can only do so much. "Positive expectations may be meant to spur us on, but often they can just lead to a chronic sense of not quite making the mark - or not quite ever being good enough. At worst some people are left with a permanent sense of failure" (Relationships).

I would like to focus on one possible effect of these pressures briefly. While I was reading about the effects, one continually showed up. Many children who feel pressured to be perfect feel out of control and try to control whatever aspects of their life they feel possible. This can lead to eating disorders. "A teenager with anorexia nervosa is typically a perfectionist and a high achiever in school. At the same time, she suffers from low self-esteem, irrationally believing she is fat regardless of how thin she becomes. Desperately needing a feeling of mastery over her life, the teenager with anorexia nervosa experiences a sense of control only when she says "no" to the normal food demands of her body. In a relentless pursuit to be thin, the girl starves herself"(Facts for Family). Funny how perfection leads to such mistakes. Its upsetting that people even put this amount of pressure on someone.

I believe people chose how well they want to do all on their own. Other people may inspire them and provide good sources of motivation, inevitable though the choice to succeed is self-determined. Too-high expectations are just as disappointing to not accomplish as someone expecting failure out of you. We all have to consider that no one handles their tasks the same way. Obligations hold different weight for the person responsible for them.

"Relationships." 12 Nov. 2008. http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/improving_your_confidence/feature_pressure.shtml

Tejada, Nelson A. Facts For Families. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Nov 11 2008. www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/facts_for_families