How Perfectionism Masquerades as High Standards for ADHD Women
|

How Perfectionism Masquerades as High Standards for ADHD Women

If you’re a high-achieving ADHD woman, perfectionism probably shows up in ways you don’t even notice: You tweak emails endlessly. You postpone launching projects because they’re “not ready.” You feel exhausted, guilty, or frustrated with yourself. To the outside world, it looks like high standards. Perfectionism isn’t ambition, it’s actually fear; fear of mistakes, judgment,…

Mysterious silhouette of raised hands behind frosted glass with a warm glow.
| |

Why Perfectionism Keeps High-Achieving ADHD Women Stuck (And What to Do Instead)

“I have a high value in excellence, I am just tweaking it because I want to produce excellent work.”It’s subtle, but I will argue this is not excellence speaking. That’s perfectionism. For you (a high-achieving woman with ADHD), perfectionism has a seductive mask: it promises competence and control. But underneath, it quietly says: If I…