Performance anxiety & dealing with perfectionism

There is extensive academic research identifying perfectionist traits in both veterinary students and qualified vets. While there can, on occasion, be some benefits to perfectionism, it is generally detrimental to wellbeing in situations were doing all the tasks you have to do ‘perfectly’ is not possible.

Working in veterinary medicine can be an extremely challenging and highly changeable environment. Perfectionism can lead us to set unrealistic goals and expectations of ourselves, bringing out a harsh inner critic if all the answers are not found all of the time, which is impossible in veterinary medicine.

Unless tools and techniques are found to ensure our expectations are achievable the frustrations of perfectionism can lead to both psychological and physical ill health.

Signs to look out for are feeling you are not worthy or good enough for your role, thinking you are waiting to be ‘found out’ for a lack of skill or ability, or simply finding your internal dialogue is more frequently negative than positive.

If not addressed these challenges can lead to both psychological and physiological ill health, however there are tools and techniques which can be really effective and helpful and addressing these limiting barriers.

“People struggling with perfectionism can get caught up in the belief that the only route to love and respect is through high achievement, through faultless, extraordinary work.  This is almost always a trap and doesn’t lead to the sort of lasting happiness people are looking for.  It leads to years on a work-treadmill and never really feeling fulfilled.”
Rosie Allister, veterinary surgeon and mental health researcher

“One thing highly driven people do is they have a hyperactive coach (in their head) condemning things and rethinking what it is they’re doing.  That can cause anxiety and depression.  I try to make them aware of the voice in their head.  I have them count how many times a day it is critical and help them reframe that, rather than let it control them.  It’s not magic, but it’s a toolkit that if applied, does work.”
Kathleen Ruby PhD, Director of Counselling & Wellness, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Recognising Perfectionism

This is not intended as a diagnostic tool, but you might want to consider how many of these statements apply to you:

  • Nothing ever gives you a feeling of lasting worth
  • Achieving perfection at work will earn you love and respect
  • You achieve goals but are left feeling unfulfilled
  • You often think your work is not good enough and compare yourself to others
  • You measure your self-worth by your achievements
  • You can’t give yourself permission to do a ‘good enough’ job
  • You feel pressure to be extraordinary and faultless
  • Even when you do achieve you feel you don’t deserve it

People struggling with perfectionism can get caught up in the belief that the only route to love and respect is through high achievement, through faultless, extraordinary work.  This is almost always a trap and doesn’t lead to the sort of lasting happiness people are looking for. It can be particularly challenging to address these feeling early on in your career, when you are encountering novel cases almost daily, learning on the job and trying to recall and apply 5 years worth of knowledge gained at vet school.

What can you do?

  • Identify what is expected of you in your role (by your line manager) – what’s your job description?
  • Identify what you want from your role
  • Identify what personal value your perfectionism is trying to serve, then reframe this value in a more holistic and healthier action
  • Build these points into your personal development plan (PDP), appraisals and one-to-ones with line managers and colleagues.
  • Ensure you take a moment to set your standards before you start a task and be certain they are realistic. A good health check is would you set those standard expectations on someone else?
  • Consider the consequences of over-thinking or being unrealistic about what you can achieve in the time available? How might that potentially limit your ability to do a ‘good job’?

If you feel that you are struggling with perfectionist traits that may be affecting your work or personal life, it’s important to feel and know that they can explore these in a psychologically safe space coaching can often be hugely beneficial.