Perfectionism
In Perspective

Perfectionism in Perspective
Module 6

Challenging my Perfectionistic Thinking
Introduction

2

The Thinking-feeling connection

2

Thought Diaries

4

My Thought Diary (example)

6

My Thought Diary - worksheet

7

Module Summary

8

About This Module

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Introduction
In the last module we looked at behavioural change. In this module we will be looking at challenging andchanging the thoughts that keep your perfectionism going. We will be introducing strategies to identify andchallenge your perfectionism thinking.

The Thinking-Feeling Connection
Automatic Thoughts
We all have thoughts. In fact, we think so much that we don’t tend to pay much attention to our thoughts!
Some of our thinking is so habitual that it is automatic and we might not be conscious of our thoughts, justlike we don’t have to think about how to ride a bike or how to walk down the street. We will be referringto these as Automatic Thoughts. Automatic thoughts play a very important part in our emotional wellbeing. Let’s have a closer look at some of your automatic thoughts…
Put one hand on your head and the other hand pointing straight up in the air for one minute. Next, close
your eyes and just notice the different thoughts that are running through your head. How did you go?
When we asked people to do this exercise, they reported automatic thoughts such as:“my hand is heavy on my head”, “I forgot to hang out the laundry”, “my arm is getting sore”, “is a minute up yet?”“this probably looks really silly”.

Jot down some of the thoughts you noticed during this exercise…

See – you were thinking and didn’t even realise it!
There are three kinds of automatic thoughts:
Neutral thoughts, e.g., “I think I will go shopping”
Positive thoughts, e.g., “This is something I can do really well”
Negative thoughts, e.g., “I’m such a failure”
Automatic thoughts often reflect worries and concerns, however they can be about anything at all –anything we’ve seen, heard or learned. Obviously, though, negative automatic thoughts are the ones thatcan cause us emotional distress. Perfectionists tend to think negatively about themselves and thesethoughts often relate to the unrelenting high standards they set for themselves.
We are not used to slowing our thoughts down however it is really useful to be able to take a step backand take a ‘helicopter view’ and think about our thinking. In fact, this is an important skill that will help you
reduce the negative impact of your perfectionism.
Thoughts influence feelings and behaviours
Not only do we think all of the time, but these thoughts influence the way we feel and how we respond tosituations. However, because we are not usually aware of our thoughts we may not realise how much they
are influencing our feelings and our behaviours. When we react to a situation, it’s not usually the actual
situation that makes us feel the way we do, it’s the way we perceive, or think about the situation. Let’s lookat two examples.
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Sally scored 80% on her university assignment (situation). She felt proud and happy and told her parents about her
results (consequences).
Sarah, a perfectionist, scored 80% on her university assignment (situation). She felt disappointed and angry at herself
and cancelled an outing with friends so she could do some extra study (consequences).

Here we have the exact same situation so why have Sally and Sarah had such different reactions? Well, theexplanation lies in their thinking. Sally and Sarah are thinking about the situation in very different ways.
Sally might be thinking something like, “that is a great result”, “I worked really hard so it is nice to get rewarded”, “myparents will be proud of me”.
Sarah, the perfectionist, might be thinking something like, “I’m such an idiot” “I could have done better” “I shouldhave studied harder”, “I don’t deserve to go out when I get a result like that”.

Do you remember the Unhelpful Thinking Styles we introduced in Module 3? (Mental filter, Black and white
thinking, ‘Shoulding’ and ‘Musting’, Catastrophising , Labelling, Jumping to Conclusions, Magnification and
Minimisation.) We can see that Sarah is engaged in a range of unhelpful thinking styles: mental filter (ignoring
how well she’s done), labelling (“I’m such an idiot”), ‘shoulding’ (“I should have studied harder”).
What am I feeling?
It is often difficult to know exactly what we are feeling, and sometimes it can be hard to put it into words.
The list below has some words that describe feelings, and this might be a useful starting point in helping you
understand the connection between thoughts and feelings.
Unhappy
Depressed
UneasyExhilarated
Enraged
Nervous
Flat

AnnoyedHappy
PanickyJoyfulExcited
Sad
Uneasy

Angry
Tense
Calm
Keyed-up
Irritated
Euphoric
Discouraged

Frightened
Anxious
ScaredCheerful
Frustrated
Tired
Mad

This is only a limited list but it should give you an idea about the kind of words we could use to describe
our feelings.
Feelings are not Thoughts
When we first try to distinguish thoughts from feelings, it can be easy to confuse them. We might be used
to talking about thoughts and feelings as being part of the same experience, but it is more helpful toseparate them and remember that feelings are not thoughts and thoughts are not feelings. For example, you
might hear someone saying something like, “I feel that I’m going to fail the test” when they’re actually
thinking, “I am going to fail the test” and feeling terrified. It stands to reason that if negative thoughts lead tonegative feelings, we should be able to do something in order to feel more positive! Let’s see what we cando.
ABC analysis
In order to minimise unhelpful thinking, it is useful to become more aware when we have negative
thoughts. One way to do this is to do what we call an ‘ABC Analysis’. First we need to identify the ‘A’, theActivating Event – that is, a situation that made you feel unhappy or distressed. Next it is usually easiest toforCentrelinical
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identify the ‘C’ – that is, the Consequences (how you felt and what you did). Lastly, we need to identify the‘B’ – that is, the Beliefs or thoughts that form the link between the Activating Event and the Consequences.
An example might be: One of Peter’s customers, who hadn’t had his car serviced for over a year, broughtin his car for brake replacement. Here is Peter’s ABC analysis:
A Activating Event

B Beliefs

Customer brought a car in for a brake
replacement

I will never get this done by tomorrow
It is my fault the brakes need replacing
I should have done it right the firsttime

C Consequences
Felt guilty and stressed
Tightness in my chest
Worked till midnight so the customer
could have the car the next morning

Can you think of a situation when you recently felt distressed or unhappy? Try to think of a situation thatwas related to your unrelenting standards and we will ask you to work out your own ABC connection?
Just write a few words to describe the situation (Activating Event), your thoughts (Beliefs) and what you felt
and did (Consequences).
A Activating Event

B Beliefs

C Consequences

Thought Diaries
Now we have helped you connect your thoughts and feelings, but how do we learn to think in a more
helpful or balanced way? One way to address your perfectionistic thinking is to challenge it head on. Thisis also called ‘disputation.’ To challenge or dispute your beliefs means that you begin to pull them apart,
untangle all the knots, examine the various unhelpful and negative thoughts you might have, and question
them. Our attitudes, thoughts, and expectations are often opinions we have picked up or learned, rather
than facts. Therefore, they can be questioned, and should not be something we just blindly accept if they
are giving us problems. But it may be hard to let go of these opinions, as they may have become firmly held
beliefs. When you hold a belief very firmly, you begin to accept it as true. It is extremely important torealise that a belief is not the same as a fact.
To challenge or dispute your unhelpful thoughts means that you evaluate how accurate they are,examine what evidence you base your thoughts on, and look at any positive aspects you may beignoring. In this way, you are like a detective or lawyer, trying to get to the facts of how realistic
your thoughts and expectations are, and putting things in perspective.

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Challenging your thoughts isn’t something you should do in your head, as this can get messy and confusing.
The best way is to write it down. To help you through the process, we suggest using a Thought Diary.
This helps you work through the challenging process step by step, on paper, making everything clearer andmore helpful for you.
Here are some guidelines on how to complete a Thought Diary followed by an example of a Thought Diary(Polly’s). On Page 7 we have provided you with a blank Thought Diary for you to practise on.
Guidelines for Completing a Thought Diary
1. Identify the ‘A’ or Activating Event. This may include an actual event or situation, a thought, amental picture or a physical trigger.
2. Identify the ‘C’ or Consequences. Ask yourself: “What emotion(s) was I feeling?” There may be afew. Choose the feeling that most closely represents the emotion you actually felt at the time andunderline it. Rate the intensity of this emotion between 0 and 100. The higher the number the
more intense the emotion. What actions/behaviours did you engage in? What physical sensations
did you experience?
3. Identify the ‘B’ or the Beliefs. Ask yourself: “What was I thinking? What was I saying to myself?
What was going through my head at the time?” List all the self-statements linking A to C.
4. Identify the HOT thought. Choose the most distressing thought that is most closely connected toyour emotion you underlined in Step 2. Don’t try to challenge all your unhelpful thoughts andbeliefs at once. Take them on one by one. Underline your HOT thought and rate how much you
believe this thought, between 0 and 100.
5. Identify any unhelpful thinking styles that might be in operation. If you need to refresh yourmemory, see Page 6 of Module 3.
6. Detective work. Referring to the HOT thought, ask yourself: “What is the evidence for andagainst my HOT thought?”
7. Challenge your Thoughts through Disputation. Ask youself questions such as: “How mightsomeone else (not a perfectionist) view the situation? How else could I view the situation?”
8. Develop balanced and helpful thoughts. After looking at all the evidence for and against your HOT
thought, and having considered the disputation questions, replace the HOT thought with helpful,balanced thought(s).
9. Re-rate the intensity of the emotion that you underlined in Step 2, between 0 and 100.
10. Re-rate the strength of your original HOT thought, between 0 and 100.
The goal of working through a Thought Diary is to develop healthy and balanced beliefs that are not rigid
and inflexible like the types of thoughts seen in perfectionism. Look through the example on the next page
and then work through your own Thought Diary on Page 7. Start by thinking of a recent situation when
you felt unhappy or distressed. Think of a situation that was related to your unrelenting high standards(e.g., making a mistake). You will need to practice challenging your thoughts many times before the process
becomes easier and more automatic.

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A

Activating Event

My Thought Diary (Polly’s example)

This may include an actual event or situation, athought, mental picture or physical trigger

B

I missed practice this afternoon

Beliefs

1. List all self-statements that link A to C. Ask yourself, “What was I saying tomyself?” “What was going through my head at the time?”
2. Underline the most distressing (HOT) thought
3. Rate how much you believe this HOT thought, between 0 and 100

I don’t try hard enough.
I am lazy & useless.
I must always push myself to practice more

C

Consequences

1. Write down words describing how you feel.
2. Underline the one that is most associated withthe activating event.
3. Rate the intensity of this feeling, (0 to 100.

Annoyed
Disgusted
Disappointed

Unhelpful Thinking Styles

Do you recognise any unhelpful thinking styles you might have been using?

95%(Black and white thinking, ‘shoulding’ and ‘musting’, mental filter, catastrophising,labelling, jumping to conclusions, magnification & minimisation)

Mental filter
Labelling
Musting

4. Jot down any physical sensations you
experienced, or actions carried out.

My chest is tightD

90%

Detective Work and Disputation

Detective Work: Refer to the HOT thought. Ask yourself “what is the factual evidence for and against my HOT thought?”

My HOT thought: I am lazy & useless.
FACTUAL EVIDENCE FOR MY HOT THOUGHTFACTUAL EVIDENCE AGAINST MY HOT THOUGHT

I missed practice
I ate a chocolate yesterday
I scored fewer goals last week

Disputation: Try to answer some of the following questions:••••

What other ways are there of viewing the situation?
If I were not feeling this way, how would I view the situation?
Realistically, what is the likelihood of that happening?
What positives about myself or the situation am I ignoring?

I usually practice more than the others
I usually work hard
I’m the highest scorer on the team•••

How might someone else (not a perfectionist) view thesituation?
Does it really help me to think this way?
What are some helpful self-statements?

Missing one practice doesn’t mean I’m always lazy
It’s reasonable to take a day off occasionallyMissing practice meant I could go to my friend’s BBQ
I guess it’s not that helpful to beat myself up because I end up feeling worse

E End Result
Balanced Thoughts: After looking at all the evidence for and against your HOT thought, and having considered the disputationquestions, replace the HOT thought with helpful, balanced thought/s
It’s good to work hard but it’s OK to take time off occasionallyRe-rate Emotion: Now, re-rate the emotion you underlined in C, from 0 to 100.

50%

Re-rate HOT thought: Now re-rate how much you believe the HOT thought, between 0 and 100.

55%

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A

Activating EventC

Consequences

My Thought Diary

This may include an actual event or situation, athought, mental picture or physical trigger

B

Beliefs

1. List all self-statements that link A to C. Ask yourself, “What was I saying tomyself?” “What was going through my head at the time?”
2. Underline the most distressing (HOT) thought
3. Rate how much you believe this HOT thought, between 0 and 100

Unhelpful Thinking Styles

1. Write down words describing how you feel.
2. Underline the one that is most associated withthe activating event.
3. Rate the intensity of this feeling, (0 to 100.

Do you recognise any unhelpful thinking styles you might have been using?
(Black and white thinking, ‘shoulding’ and ‘musting’, mental filter, catastrophising,labelling, jumping to conclusions, magnification & minimisation)

4. Jot down any physical sensations you
experienced, or actions carried out.

D

Detective Work and Disputation

Detective Work: Refer to the HOT thought. Ask yourself “what is the factual evidence for and against my HOT thought?”

My HOT thought:
FACTUAL EVIDENCE FOR MY HOT THOUGHT

Disputation: Try to answer some of the following questions:••••

What other ways are there of viewing the situation?
If I were not feeling this way, how would I view the situation?
Realistically, what is the likelihood of that happening?
What positives about myself or the situation am I ignoring?

FACTUAL EVIDENCE AGAINST MY HOT THOUGHT•••

How might someone else (not a perfectionist) view thesituation?
Does it really help me to think this way?
What are some helpful self-statements?

E End Result
Balanced Thoughts: After looking at all the evidence for and against your HOT thought, and having considered the disputationquestions, replace the HOT thought with helpful, balanced thought/s

Re-rate Emotion: Now, re-rate the emotion you underlined in C, from 0 to 100.
Re-rate HOT thought: Now re-rate how much you believe the HOT thought, between 0 and 100.

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Module Summary••••

We all have Automatic Thoughts, which can be positive, neutral or negative.
Thoughts influence feelings and behaviour.
In order to minimise unhelpful thinking, it is helpful to identify when we have negative AutomaticThoughts
We can challenge our specific thoughts using Thought Diaries

What I Have Learned in this Module
Think about what you have learned in this module and any useful bits of information, tips or strategies thatyou want to remember. Write them down below so you can refer to them later.

Think about how you might use the information you have just learned. Write down some ways in which
you could make use of this information.

Coming Up…
In Module 7 (Adjusting rules and assumptions) we will be taking
a look at the underlying rules and assumptions that guide
perfectionsim

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About this Module
CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Anna Steele (Ph.D.1)
Clinical Psychologist
Centre for Clinical Interventions

Dr. Anthea Fursland (Ph.D.1)
Principal Clinical Psychologist
Centre for Clinical Interventions
Dr. Bronwyn Raykos (MPsych2, Ph.D.1)
Clinical Psychologist
Centre for Clinical Interventions
1

Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology)2

Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)

BACKGROUND
The concepts and strategies in this module have been developed from evidence-based psychologicaltreatment, primarily Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). CBT for perfectionism is based on the approachthat perfectionism is the result of problematic cognitions (thoughts) and behaviours.

REFERENCES
Antony, M. M. & Swinson, R. P. (1998) When Perfect Isn’t Good Enough. New Harbinger Publications,Oakland, Ca.
Kearns, H., Forbes, A., & Gardiner, M. (2007). A cognitive behavioural coaching intervention for thetreatment of perfectionism and self-handicapping in a nonclinical population. Behaviour Change, 24 (3), 157172.
Shafran, R., Cooper, Z. and Fairburn, C. G. (2002) Clinical Perfectionism: a cognitive-behavioural analysis.
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40, 773-791“PERFECTIONISM IN PERSPECTIVE”
This module forms part of:
Fursland, A., Raykos, B. and Steele, A. (2009). Perfectionism in Perspective. Perth, Western Australia: Centre
for Clinical Interventions.
ISBN: 0-975799576

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Created: March 2009

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