The Catholic Coaching Podcast 43. The Perfection Problem
May 20, 2021
They tackle why starting habits like journaling feels impossible and how perfectionist thinking sabotages progress. They unpack all-or-nothing patterns, fear-driven resistance, and psychological reactance to rules. They contrast unhealthy perfectionism with divine perfection and talk about humility, repentance, and using mercy to turn weaknesses into growth.
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Perfectionism Is Ungodly Self Reliance
- Perfectionism is an interior thought pattern that produces overwhelm and fear, blocking habit formation like journaling.
- Matt ties it to ungodly self-reliance and Plagianism: expecting personal perfection causes despair because only God's grace completes us.
Thoughts Create The Chain That Sabotages Habits
- Thoughts -> emotions -> behaviors: the thought I must be perfect first try triggers fear and avoidance.
- Matt demonstrates the chain with journaling: the perfectionist thought creates overwhelm, then no consistent behavior.
Replace Should With I Choose
- Change the thought framing from obligation to choice by saying I choose to or I don't choose to instead of I should or I have to.
- Erin models this: she sometimes skips journaling on purpose (Sundays) and calls it an honest choice.
