Perfectionism has its strengths, but it can get out of control. Left unchecked, a perfectionist tendency can lead to burnout and feeling like what you do–and who you are–is never satisfactory.
Your ambition and dedication to quality should be a source of wellbeing, not despair. If your perfectionism is more like a millstone than a jetpack, check out these six books about recovering the joy of getting what matters done.
How to Be Enough: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists
By Ellen Hendriksen
Are you your own toughest critic? Learn to be good to yourself with this clear and compassionate guide. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Ellen Hendriksen, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World That Always Demands More
By Israa Nasir
Being productive isn’t necessarily about how you manage your time. It’s about how you manage your emotions. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Israa Nasir, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts
By Oliver Burkeman
Looking beyond the challenges of time management to the most fundamental questions about how to live, Burkeman offers a powerful new way to take action on what counts: a guiding philosophy of life that he calls “imperfectionism.” Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Oliver Burkeman, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Perfection Trap: The Power of Good Enough in a World That Always Wants More
By Thomas Curran
Acclaimed professor at the London School of Economics explores how the pursuit of perfection can become a dangerous obsession that leads to burnout and depression—keeping us from achieving our goals. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Thomas Curran, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power
By Katherine Morgan Schafler
As psychotherapist and former on-site therapist at Google, Katherine Morgan Schafler argues that you don’t have to stop being a perfectionist to be healthy. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Katherine Morgan Schafler, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
I Didn’t Do the Thing Today: Letting Go of Productivity Guilt
By Madeleine Dore
How to release productivity guilt and embrace the hidden values in our daily lives. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Madeleine Dore, in the Next Big Idea App or View on Amazon
The Key Ideas in 15 Minutes
“If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books,” Roald Dahl once famously said. The only trouble is, reading even one book from cover to cover takes hours—and you may not have many hours to spare.
But imagine for a moment: What if you could read a groundbreaking new book every day? Or even better, what if you could invite a world-renowned thinker into your earbuds, where they personally describe the 5 key takeaways from their work in just 15 minutes?
With the Next Big Idea App, we’ve turned this fantasy into a reality. We partnered with hundreds of acclaimed authors to create “Book Bites,” short audio summaries of the latest nonfiction that are prepared and read aloud by the authors themselves. Discover cutting-edge leadership skills, productivity hacks, the science of happiness and well-being, and much more—all in the time it takes to drive to work or walk the dog.
Go Deeper with a Next Big Idea Club Membership
The Next Big Idea App is free for anyone to try—and if you love it, we invite you to become an official member of the Next Big Idea Club. Membership grants you unlimited access to Book Bites and unlocks early-release, ad-free episodes of our LinkedIn-partnered podcast. You also gain entry to our private online discussion group, where you can talk big ideas with fellow club members and join exclusive live Q&A sessions with featured authors.
For a more focused learning experience, we recommend a Hardcover or eBook Membership. Every few months, legendary authors and club curators Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Adam Grant, and Daniel Pink select two new nonfiction books as the must-reads of the season. We then send hardcover copies straight to your doorstep, or eBook versions to your favorite digital device. We also collaborate with the authors of selected books to produce original reading guides and premium video e-courses, 50-minute master classes that take you step by step through their most life-changing ideas. And yes, it’s all available through the Next Big Idea App.
Learn Faster, from the World’s Leading Thinkers
Whether you prefer to read, listen, or watch, the Next Big Idea is here to help you work smarter and live better. Wake up with an always-fresh Idea of the Day, the perfect shot of inspiration to go with your morning coffee. Then dive into one of our Challenges, hand-picked collections of Book Bites that form crash courses in subjects like communication, motivation, and career acceleration. Later, watch the playback of an interview with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Stanford psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt, or philosopher John Kaag. And be sure to check the “Events” tab in the app, so that you can join an upcoming live Q&A and personally chat with the next featured thought leader.
If you’re hoping to grow as a person or as a professional, we hope you’ll join us and tens of thousands of others who enjoy the Next Big Idea. Get started by downloading the app today!
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