BlueSky Thinking Summary

The article by Ellen Taaffe from her book "The Mirrored Door" addresses the paradox of perfectionism in women's careers: Initially useful to begin careers, perfectionism later works as a career inhibitor by closing off new opportunities and leading to an excessive workload with excessive anxiety.

According to Taaffe, women are frequently caught up in circles of overpreparation;

though these provide initially the guarantee for being noticed and reliable, they then inhibit growth into leadership.

She provides techniques for reflecting on the successes, restructuring the role to ensure delegation, making decisions based on manageable criteria, and using self-compassion to counteract perfectionism.

Women can break through this "mirrored door" of self-doubt and societal expectations into embracing imperfection and taking strategic risks toward professional fulfillment and advancement.

The paperback call here is to shift from an overpreparation mindset into confidently seized opportunities that balance the ambition with the needed self-care to achieve sustainable success.