When “Good Enough” Doesn’t Feel Good Enough: Perfectionism and Teen Anxiety

Many teens today feel intense pressure to be perfect—academically, socially, and personally. While perfectionism can look like motivation or responsibility, it often comes with anxiety, self-doubt, and emotional exhaustion.

For teens, perfectionism is usually driven by fear: fear of failure, fear of disappointing others, or fear of not being enough. This can show up as constant stress, procrastination, harsh self-criticism, or avoiding new challenges unless success feels guaranteed.

Over time, perfectionism keeps the nervous system on high alert. Instead of feeling proud of their efforts, teens focus on what went wrong or what could have been better. This cycle can lead to ongoing anxiety, burnout, and low self-confidence.

Supporting teens doesn’t mean lowering expectations—it means helping them separate their worth from their performance. When teens learn to practice self-compassion, allow mistakes, and rest without guilt, anxiety often begins to ease.

No teen needs to be perfect to be worthy. Growth happens when there is room to be human