The Plot Twist: Your Drive Isn't the Enemy

The goal isn't eliminating high standards. Recent research distinguishes "perfectionism" from "excellencism," showing excellencism correlates with "academic performance, creative achievement, self-esteem, and openness to experience" while perfectionism correlates with "symptoms of depression, psychological distress, and dropout intentions" (Gaudreau et al., 2024).

The secret: Transform rigid perfectionism into flexible excellence.

Wanting to do well on a test? Healthy. Spending 12 hours on a single math problem because it's "not perfect enough"? Dangerous territory. Professor Tracey Wade developed the Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire (CPQ) to distinguish between healthy striving and problematic perfectionism.

Burnout doesn't happen overnight. It's not a sudden collapse but rather a progressive deterioration—a slow erosion of energy, engagement, and effectiveness that many don't recognize until they're deep in its grip.

In a world where burnout has reached epidemic proportions, accurate identification remains surprisingly elusive. Traditional burnout measures often miss crucial dimensions of the experience, leading to delayed intervention and prolonged suffering. This gap in assessment tools prompted Professor Gordon Parker AO, founder of the Black Dog Institute and Scientia Professor of Psychiatry at UNSW, to develop a more comprehensive, nuanced approach: the Sydney Burnout Measure (SBM).

Are you the person who triple-checks your work? The one who stays late to "get it just right" while colleagues have long gone home? Do you find yourself unable to celebrate achievements because you're already focused on the next challenge?

If this sounds familiar, you may possess the perfectionist traits that drive success—but according to Professor Gordon Parker AO, founder of the Black Dog Institute and world-renowned psychiatry expert, these same qualities could be putting you at higher risk for burnout.

In our latest Deep Thinking podcast episode, we had the privilege of sitting down with Professor Gordon Parker AO, Scientia Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales and founder of the Black Dog Institute. With over five decades of clinical and research experience, Professor Parker has revolutionized our understanding of burnout and its relationship to depression – a distinction that proves critical for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Perfectionism isn't a static trait—it changes in form and intensity throughout different life stages. In our recent podcast episode, "The Perfectionism Trap: Breaking Free from Impossible Standards," we explored how perfectionist tendencies manifest and impact us at different points in our lives.

This developmental perspective is crucial for understanding both how perfectionism takes root and how it can be addressed most effectively at each life stage. Whether you're a parent concerned about perfectionist tendencies in your child, a professional experiencing mid-career burnout, or someone approaching retirement with anxiety about your legacy, understanding the age-specific manifestations of perfectionism can provide valuable insights.

When someone describes themselves or others as "a perfectionist," they're often using this term as a one-dimensional label. However, as we explored in our recent Deep Thinking podcast episode, "The Perfectionism Trap: Breaking Free from Impossible Standards," perfectionism is far more nuanced.

Leading researchers Drs. Gordon Flett and Paul Hewitt revolutionized our understanding of this trait by demonstrating that perfectionism isn't a single characteristic but a multidimensional concept with distinct types, each with unique origins, behaviors, and treatment approaches.

This multidimensional understanding explains why some people's perfectionism manifests as workaholism, while others experience it as social anxiety or creative blocks. It also explains why one-size-fits-all advice about overcoming perfectionism often fails.

Some of history's most celebrated creative minds have wrestled with perfectionism—often producing their greatest work only after learning to embrace imperfection. In our recent podcast episode, "The Perfectionism Trap: Breaking Free from Impossible Standards," we explored several compelling examples of how perfectionism impacts creative output.

This blog post dives deeper into these fascinating case studies, revealing how even legendary artists struggled with the same perfectionist tendencies many of us experience in our daily lives—and what we can learn from their journeys.

Perfectionism isn't just about high standards—it's a complex psychological pattern that can severely limit potential, damage relationships, and contribute to anxiety and depression. In our recent Deep Thinking podcast episode, "The Perfectionism Trap: Breaking Free from Impossible Standards," we explored this multidimensional challenge with insights from leading researchers and compelling real-world examples.

In our recent podcast episode with sleep expert Dr. Mark Kohler, one of the most fascinating discussions centered around sleep architecture—the complex structure and organization of our nightly sleep cycles. As Dr. Kohler explained, sleep isn't a uniform state but rather a dynamic process with distinct stages, each serving crucial functions for brain health and cognitive performance.

Have you ever found yourself putting off an important task because you weren't sure you could do it perfectly? You're not alone. One of the most counterintuitive aspects of perfectionism is how frequently it leads not to flawless execution but to complete paralysis.

This phenomenon, which psychologists call the perfectionism-procrastination cycle, affects millions of people daily—from students delaying assignments to professionals postponing major projects, and even artists unable to begin creating.

Dr. Kohler explained, understanding and working with your circadian rhythms rather than against them can dramatically improve not only your sleep quality but also your daytime energy, mental clarity, and overall health.

For those struggling with sleep issues—and research suggests that's 30-45% of adults—Dr. Kohler shared several evidence-based techniques that can significantly improve both sleep quality and quantity. We've distilled five of the most powerful, research-backed strategies from our discussion.

Take the Sleep Quality Self-Assessment

Answer each question honestly based on your typical sleep patterns over the past month. After completing the quiz, we'll provide an analysis of your sleep health and suggest specific sections of our upcoming episode that might be most beneficial for your situation.

Burnout doesn't happen overnight—it's a gradual process that develops when chronic workplace or life stresses aren't effectively managed. In this episode of the Deep Thinking Podcast, we explore evidence-based strategies for both preventing burnout before it takes hold and recovering when you're already experiencing symptoms. Whether you're feeling the early warning signs or trying to help someone who's deeply affected, these approaches can make a meaningful difference.

We spend roughly one-third of our lives asleep, yet many of us treat sleep as negotiable—something to sacrifice when work deadlines loom or Netflix beckons. But what if quality sleep is the most powerful performance enhancer available to us? What if the hours we spend unconscious are actually when our brains perform some of their most crucial work?

In our upcoming podcast episode, "Deep Sleep Secrets with Dr. Mark Kohler: How Rest Transforms Your Brain," we delve into these questions and more with one of Australia's leading sleep neuroscientists. Today, we're sharing a preview of the fascinating science behind why sleep matters more than you might realize.

We're thrilled to announce that the renowned psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Gordon Parker is featured as a special guest on the Deep Thinking Podcast. In preparation for this insightful episode, we've compiled a comprehensive profile of Dr. Parker's groundbreaking work and contributions to our understanding of mental health conditions, particularly in the areas of mood disorders and burnout.

Who is Dr. Gordon Parker?

Dr. Gordon Parker AO is an Australian psychiatrist and Scientia Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales. As the founder of the Black Dog Institute, a facility for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mood disorders, he has dedicated his career to advancing our understanding of depression, bipolar disorder, and more recently, burnout.

Show notes from Episode 1: BURN OUT - Recognizing the symptoms before it's too late

In our inaugural episode of the Deep Thinking Podcast, we dive into the critical topic of burnout - a condition affecting millions of professionals and caregivers worldwide. Whether you're concerned about yourself, a loved one, or a colleague, understanding the warning signs of burnout is the first step toward recovery and prevention.

Welcome to Deep Thinking with Dr. Steven Stolz

Welcome to the official blog of Deep Thinking with Dr. Steven Stolz, where academic rigor meets real life. I'm thrilled to announce that our first episode will be available this week across all major podcast platforms!