MIND newsletter: Moral perfectionism: Doing the most good?
Happy Saturday everyone! 😉
This week’s topic is quite intriguing: moral perfectionism, inspired by a talk from 80,000 hours podcast.
1. M (Challenge your mindset)
In the podcast, Tim LeBon – a therapist who often works with people in effective altruism community – encounters something called moral perfectionism in his clients. He explained the concept in comparison with perfectionism “except instead of focusing just on achievement, it would be focusing on your moral worth: your identity is linked with how good you are as a person. The standards would again be unfeasibly high and inflexible. Maybe something like “doing the most good you can” — to coin a phrase — every moment of the day”.
Some highlights from this 3-hour-long episode in terms of career and ethics or moral perfectionism in work:
Motivation
He pointed out that often there will be payoff – intrinsic motivation – for a person carrying this moral perfectionism mindset: Be a good role model, be recognized as a very good person, or satisfy the need of developing an identity attached to conscience. There should be nothing wrong with this sound motivation unless it tags along some side effects.
Side effect
Shame
The person is buried with the identity attached to being this really good human being. And when that unfeasible standard is, you know, unfeasible – self-criticism arises. The feeling of wanting to hide away is just another word for shame – as Tim described “the least constructive emotion”.
Moral judgement
Would a friend still be your friend if he or she has no interest in altruism or doing good? And how could we judge someone’s work whether it’s failing morally or not? Here is another warning on how moral perfectionism with its high standard can turn into debatable moral judgement.
Mental health
People who are trying to do a lot of good with their careers often deal with thought loops, anxiety, low self-esteem, imposter syndrome, and procrastination.
2. I (I’m my own coach)
Review high inflexible standard
Checking whether you are holding that high inflexible standard that causes criticism toward the self and others is perhaps the first step. A couple of tools that I introduced in the past might be helpful in this case:
The Work- self-inquiry technique to examine a thought
Perfection vs excellence: Quoted from the podcast, “Perfection would be something that was very subjective, and ultimately unattainable, whereas excellence is something that you can have certain skills and you can train yourself to achieve it.”
“Doing good by knowing who you are”
There is this young lady I met a couple of weeks ago – an enthusiastic social entrepreneur who is striving to find the best solution to help Black students in education access and career design. A very talented and passionate innovator. The only thing that got her stuck is “the best” – aka her moral perfectionism. She just, for a moment, forgot what she already has.
The concept Use-of-Self from the article “Doing good by knowing who you are” (Seashore, C. et al) and the book “Leading meaningful change” (Patwell, B.) fits perfectly in this context. As the author put it, ““the Use of Self” is a link between our personal potential and the world of change”.
Some tools to start with:
Find the person behind the Strengths
3. N (The power of Now)
How realistic is your thinking?
4. D (Do)
What could be one simple good act that you can do today?
References and Resources
- Tim LeBon on how altruistic perfectionism is self-defeating
- Seashore, C., Shawver, M., Thompson, G., & Mattare, M. (2004). Doing good by knowing who you are. OD Practitioner, 36(3), 42-46.
- Book “Leading Meaningful Change” by Beverly Patwell
