Writing Prompts to Help You Cope With Perfectionism

• 1. Write about all the things that make you want to be a perfectionist and why you always want to get things right. This is important because it helps us understand our own behavior when we feel so bad.
• 2. What are your greatest strengths? Your greatest weaknesses? Why do you think they exist? Write these down as well.
• 3. When was the last time you said “yes” to something just because you wanted to? What did you say yes to? Did it lead you to accomplish something that you didn’t expect to complete? Yes… but it was still part of your plan!
• 4. Do you have any regrets? Why? Are there some things you wish you had done differently in life?
• 5. What’s one thing you really want to change about yourself? Would it be possible if you were able to control everything else in your life?
• 6. Describe the perfect day for you. It could include anything at all. Make sure it includes having fun, doing what makes you happy, being with people who love you and making memories.
• 7. What would you like to learn more about? Who do you want to become? For example, have you ever thought about becoming an artist? Is that even something you could imagine achieving? Why not?
• 8. What would you love to do more than anything else in the world? Write about this. Tell someone about it. Get excited about it and see what happens!
• 9. What would a typical day look like for you if you weren’t working? Could it be as boring as the average person’s might seem to be? Do you already have a dream job? Or a dream house? A dream car? What exactly does it mean to you?
• 10. Imagine yourself 10 years from now…what do you hope has changed? What do you want to have accomplished? What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
• 11. What would you most regret losing? Maybe it’s a relationship, a skill, experience, etc.? 
• 12. If you could know only three things about anyone, what would those be? Don’t forget to share these questions with others. Ask your family members, friends and teachers!
• 13. Think about your interests. What do you like to do? Spend time thinking about where you’d like to travel. Where is your dream destination?
• 14. What’s one small step that you’ve taken towards reaching your overall goal? Even if it doesn’t sound big enough yet, do it anyway. Just take that first step! You’ll feel better once you do!
• 15. How do you want to communicate with other people? Is it through writing or speaking? If writing, then which type? And finally, share these questions with other people… they may inspire them too!
• 16. When was the last thing you felt motivated by? List 3 positive things that happened when you were motivated. Now list ways to motivate yourself again.
• 17. What should you always remember about perfectionism?
• 18. What does it mean to be free of unrealistic expectations? Are you? Explain.
• 19. Talk to your parents about what your biggest challenge is at school right now. What advice can they give you?
• 20. What goals do you currently have for yourself at home? At school? In your daily activities? On social media? Share your thoughts here.
• 21. Who inspires you? Who is the greatest role model you know? Think about who they are (not just physically) and where you get strength from: their personality, their achievements, their experiences?
• 22. What would you like more than anything else in life? Write down what you think you don’t have enough of – either emotionally, financially, creatively or practically. Why do you think you’re lacking in that area?
• 23. What is the hardest part of living with perfectionistic tendencies? Can you find creative ways to overcome some of its negative effects?
• 24. What makes us so prone to perfectionism? How can we help ourselves gain balance between wanting to achieve and being satisfied?
• 25. Which way do you think you need to go? Describe how you’d handle situations differently if you knew ahead of time everything that would happen.
• 26. What makes you happy? It seems like every time you answer this question, there’s another issue that comes up: money, time, self-doubt… name whatever applies to you!
• 27. What things are you willing to sacrifice for your loved ones? Think about the times you did lose ground in order to make sure someone else had what they needed. Were they worth it? Did you keep any regrets from doing that?
• 28. Do you ever wonder why you haven’t been able to accomplish something? What keeps you from going after your goals and achieving your dreams? Make a list. Then let’s talk about your next steps.
• 29. Think about times when you’ve given into a temptation: say your eating habits, spending habits, etc. What was it? Was it easy? Was it hard? What made it easier or harder?
• 30. Who do you admire? What qualities do you see as important (or not) in that person? Consider also what they might want in return.
• 31. What has been on your mind recently? Choose 5 words/phrases to describe what you’ve been feeling lately. Try to use all five, but let’s start with three.
• 32. How do you deal with stress? What helps you relax more effectively? What is one habit or ritual that you could incorporate to help relieve tension?
• 33. What do you admire most about other people? What are the traits you think make them unique?
• 34. Have you ever considered a career change? Why didn’t you take the plunge yet?
• 35. What do you wish you could tell others about yourself? Are there parts of yourself you feel embarrassed by? Would you change those aspects of yourself if you could?
• 36. How much time do you spend thinking about your future? Have you planned out what you’ll be doing 10 years hence? If not, why not? What changes do you think will be necessary then?
• 37. What is one thing you hope to accomplish before you die? What would you like to leave behind when you pass away?
• 38. When you look back on your life, what accomplishments stand out? What were your failures? What lessons were you able to learn from them?
• 39. What do you consider to be your strengths? Your weaknesses? What do you believe you would excel at as a parent? As an employee? As a friend or sibling?
• 40. Imagine being told that there is a chance that you may live a little longer than you expected. What would you do differently? What would you fight for?
• 41. Is there any area in which you’re truly interested? That you’d really love to pursue? What could you work towards accomplishing?
• 42. What values guide your decisions? Why?
• 43. Do you regret anything that’s happened in your past? There are probably moments where you wished you went down a different path. Do you think that if you know ahead of time where you’re going, you can change things?
• 44. If you had a magic wand, what would your perfect day look like? Write about some details that could be included in such a scenario.
• 45. Take several minutes right now to write down everything that makes you happy. Go slowly at first, and don’t worry if not every word makes sense; just get it all on paper. Later we’ll clean up the mess! 🙂
• 46. Has anyone ever said something so rude, hurtful, or insensitive to you that you felt completely disrespected?
• 47. In your own words, how did this person cause harm to you? Were you harmed as a child? A teen? An adult? Did he or she intentionally or unintentionally push too far?
• 48. What are two ways in which you find comfort in the world? Think about the reasons why these situations are comforting.
• 49. If someone was to ask you “What would you give your enemies?” what kinds of things would come to mind? What kind of response would you have?
• 50. What are three fears you struggle with? Can you imagine why they might be holding you back from making progress?
• 51. What are some dreams you’ve set for yourself but haven’t achieved? What stops you from pursuing them?
• 52. Describe one way in which you’re unapologetically yourself. What do you think would happen if everyone else followed suit?
• 53. It’s been a while since you’ve written yourself a letter. Now it’s your turn. Start writing and let go of inhibitions. Remember to include things that you care about the most. You deserve to hear your voice:)
• 54. Are you a good listener? Do you tend to talk more than listen? Are you willing to listen without interrupting?
• 55. Do you prefer to focus on the positive side of life or negative thoughts? Discuss how you handle each.
• 56. Think of a moment when you experienced loss (death, divorce, break-up, etc.) and discuss how it affected you.
• 57. Does being busy or successful make you happier? Or does having nothing productive to accomplish make you miserable?
• 58. Have you ever failed at anything you’ve attempted to do? Who helped you through it successfully? What made it possible?
• 59. How do you react to criticism? Do you take it personally? How much damage has it done to you over the years?
• 60. Do you feel as though people should treat you the way you want to be treated? What are some examples?
• 61. One thing you love to learn is…what is it? Talk about an interest or learning style that you enjoy studying.
• 62. Is there a certain thing you wish you didn’t need to know? Why?
• 63. When do you feel happiest? Explain how that moment affects you.
• 64. Name five characteristics that describe who you are best. What makes you unique?
• 65. Think about times when you were given compliments from others. How did that change your outlook on the compliment?
• 66. Does the idea of going into business scare you? Why or why not? Would you consider starting a home based business?
• 67. Write down ten traits you possess that contribute to your success. How do those traits influence the amount of work you put in?
• 68. For the past week, have you noticed how much time you spend thinking about the future vs. living in the present where you are? Choose one area of your life where you’d like to improve upon.

Conclusion

I hope that these thoughtful prompts and reflective questions have helped you to be more aware of your perfectionist tendencies in your everyday life.

Best of luck!