Perfectionism differs from high achievement in its focus. If you are striving for excellence, you can be happy about your achievements and learn from your mistakes.
Perfectionists obsess over perceived insufficiencies, robbing themselves of the satisfaction of succeeding. They consistently fear failing and becoming low achievers.

Perfectionists Vs. High Achievers

Perfectionists tend to set goals of unreasonable excellence with no learning curve or room for error.
Dividing your goals into more achievable steps and rewarding yourself when you achieve them, will make you less stressed, less likely to give up and more forgiving of mistakes.

Set Reasonable Goals

Perfectionists tend to be very self-critical but this can perpetuate unhealthy behaviors and decrease their self-esteem. 
By altering your self-talk positively, you can better enjoy life and gain an increased appreciation for yourself and your work.

Alter Your Self-Talk In a Positive Way

You may not see how pervasive perfectionism can be. Becoming more aware of your patterns, you’re in a better position to alter them.
To do that, you can record your perfectionistic thoughts and go over them later writing down what you thought at the time.

Be Aware Of Your Perfectionistic Patterns

List the ways perfectionism is hurting you and others, and you’ll be more motivated to shed these tendencies.
Perfectionism has many negative consequences, and you may be unwittingly experiencing them.

Knowledge How Perfectionism Is Affecting You

Perfectionists tend to notice mistakes and often notice them above all else. But you can soften this tendency by consciously trying to notice the good in things.
When you spot perceived flaws look for five other qualities that you do like. This will balance out your critical focus and become a positive new habit.

Balance Your Critical Focus

If criticism makes you defensive, an attitude change can help.
Constructive criticism can show you how to improve, making your less-than-perfect performances into steps towards excellence. If the criticism you’re receiving is pointed or harsh, it’s okay to remind others and yourself that mistakes are a great way to learn.

Learn To Handle Criticism

Are you a perfectionist?​ Many people have traits of perfectionists and are even proud of them, but there are important differences between perfectionists and high achievers and being a high achiever is far better for your health and happiness. If you have perfectionistic tendencies, it's vital to find strategies to get past them and move toward being a non-perfectionistic high achiever.