Perfectionism - Good or Bad?
Do you consider yourself to be a perfectionist? If so, is it something that you find beneficial for your musical development, or does it hold you back?
Perfectionism is something that is becoming increasingly common, not only in the music world, but the broader community in general. For performers, the expectation of flawless, recording-like concerts are something that places greater pressure on musician’s skills, health, and well-being.
Whilst high quality performances are expected from the paying public, the real question is whether a perfectionistic mindset is actually a good thing for a musician to adopt. I mean, there are so many advantages of striving towards unattainable perfection - meticulous preparation, high standards, and a strong desire for success…so what’s the downside!? Well, according to research, we could be aiming for a much more balanced perspective!
Perfectionists are usually grouped into 2 categories – “excellence-seekers” and “failure-avoiders.” The excellence-seekers are people that tend to set incredibly high standards for themselves and others around them. Whilst this is inherently good, it can be problematic when it becomes inflexible and insistent, as expectations can create greater anxiety and stress.
Failure-avoiders have an obsessive worry that they will not reach the impossibly high standards they set for themselves, and have a strong aversion to failure. The belief is that their work is never good enough, no matter how much they practice. This can lead to procrastination (because of the fear that they won’t be able to play perfectly anyway), followed by paralysis (as an extension of procrastination.)
In performance, just one mistake can turn a great concert into a complete disaster, and this is closely linked with feelings of self-worth. Performing perfectly shows everyone that "I am a good person", whereas any mistake will demonstrate a flawed character. Even when people say “it was great”, this positive feedback is quickly dismissed, as it is not in line with their own perfectionistic standards.
You might think that striving for perfection is a necessary goal to aim for, particularly in the classical music world. Yet interestingly, perfectionistic goals do not actually help in performing to a higher standard. Meticulous preparation is often counter-balanced by greater levels of anxiety, frustration, or dissatisfaction, along with a lower degree of self-worth and confidence.
Research has found that levels of anxiety are much more affected by how musicians perceive themselves and their own playing, as opposed to the feeling of judgement or criticism from others. Self-judgement on mistakes feeds negativity and increases anxiety, sapping confidence, self-esteem, and motivation.
All of these factors tend to hamper performance quality, and can lead to higher levels of stress, burnout, workaholism, and depression in the long run.
So how can you combat the negative forms of perfectionism, yet still retain the good bits? 🤔
Whilst this is an incredibly vast and complex topic to cover in itself, there are a few small things that you can do to help you get into a more positive frame of mind.
I spoke a few months ago about adopting a Growth Mindset perspective, and this also applies to how you can view your own perfectionistic tendencies. Setting high, yet realistic goals, and accepting that you are only human and will make some mistakes along the way, can help balance out your view of perfection being the be-all and end-all. Emphasis on learning and growing from mistakes, and concentrating on the musical and emotional message of the music will help shift the focus away from note-perfect fixations. Also acknowledging when you do play well, and seeking out constructive feedback from teachers, friends, and colleagues will assist in giving a more accurate representation of where you really are as a performer.
Here’s a short video of world-renown violinist Gidon Kremer talking about his struggles with the “virus of perfectionism” and how it affects his music making. Insightful stuff!
Write below of your own experiences with perfectionism, and how it affects your preparation and performances. I’d love to hear your thoughts!