Our dangerous quest to perfect ourselves | Thomas Curran

Our dangerous quest to perfect ourselves | Th...

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What music is for | Wallis Bird

Irish musician and songwriter Wallis Bird received her first guitar at six months old and has been chasing music ever since. After her TED2026 performance of three genre-bending original songs, Wallis sat down with TED music curator Anna Bulbrook – a musician herself – to talk ab ...  Show more

What's your leadership language? | Rosita Najmi (re-release)

In a globe-trotting career that has spanned corporations, governments, nonprofits and philanthropy, Rosita Najmi has often found herself translating among them. Instead of focusing on leadership style, she makes the case for becoming fluent in the languages of leadership, explain ...  Show more

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Why do we push ourselves to be perfect? With Thomas Curran, PhD
Speaking of Psychology

In job interviews and in life, perfectionism is often seen as a selling point – an asset disguised as a flaw. But as psychologists have found rising rates of perfectionism in the United States and around the world in recent decades, they’ve begun to recognize the toll that the dr ...  Show more

114. Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Life?
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Psychologist Thomas Curran argues that perfectionism isn’t about high standards — it’s about never being enough. He explains how the drive to be perfect is harming education, the economy, and our mental health.


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Avoid The Perfection Trap | Thomas Curran
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In today’s episode, we tackle perfectionism with Thomas Curran. Thomas is an associate professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, and the author of The Perfection Trap: Embracing the Power of Good Enough. We tackle the ...  Show more

34 — Stop Being a Perfectionist and Embrace Your Imperfections with Professor Thomas Curran
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Perfectionism takes a serious toll on your mental health and well-being. It's often driven by the fear of not being good enough and involves a desire to get validation from others. It often leads to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Fortunately, there are some things that can ...  Show more