I feel that this post related to me, although I am not ADHD (my son has ADHD). I was a perfectionist for a long time. This leaded to troubles on the job and in other areas of my life, I never completed a lot of my projects because of perfectionism.

With years, I learned to strike a balance between “keep going” on a project towards completion, and still keep good quality. I learned to do my projects in circles.

1-st circle is to make a project “just work”, even not looking good.

2-nd circle is improvements in critical areas.

3-rd circle is even more improvements.

… and so on.

I have to say that while this and other methods improved my productivity – I feel a huge emptiness, I feel that something VERY IMPORTANT was gone from my life.

My perfectionism was gone!!! I feel sad. I tried to get it back, but it is not the same. My “reasonable thinking” patterns don’t allow it.

Now, back to my ADHD son. He is a perfectionist and I like it very much!!! I am very cautious how to talk to him and how to respond. I like to discuss with him fine points of his LEGO building dilemmas and sometimes even point to something that can be improved.

Arieh