Nobody's Perfect
The old phrase may state that "nobody's perfect" but that doesn’t stop people from trying! And trying to be perfect can trigger a cascade of anxieties.
Perfectionism is not necessarily a bad thing. It can be seen as a strong suit or a stumbling block, depending on how it's channeled. Perfectionism is beneficial if you can work with your eye on the desired goal or outcome and adjust your strategy as needed. However, perfectionism can become an issue if you will tolerate no mistakes, and your strategy doesn't have room for mistakes. Perfectionism can greatly interfere with everyday life if you are unable to take on a task because of fear of a mistake.
How do you combat the instinct to be a perfectionist? It's all about creating priorities. A good plan is to list your current projects and goals, then assign and rate them in terms of importance using a system of levels (For example, A is most effort, B is above average effort, C is average effort, and F is no effort). That way you can choose those goals/projects that you want to put the most effort into, and you don’t have to waste time putting that same amount of effort into items that are less important. It can also keep your perfectionism in check!