Perfectionism

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Ever since I can remember, I have always had this obsession with getting things perfect. Yet I was always much slower at completing normal activities than my classmates in school anyway, my obsession with perfectionism would make me spend much longer on completing assignments and tests than any of my classmates, to the point where teachers thought I was just slacking off, and not even doing any of my work. Everyone thought I was the smartest kid in class, yet also the most lazy kid, because I aced pretty much any test but didn't turn in most of my homework assignments. I would often not turn in homework assignments or projects and essays at all because they weren't perfect enough. My later high school years, I had to turn in stuff I was unhappy with because I needed to pass my classes to graduate, but I know it didn't reflect my true potential, and I could have done better if I had the time, and sometimes, the motivation.

Does anyone else have any issues involving perfectionism?

I used to be like that. To a degree, I guess I still am. I USED to be able to really do it, but now I'm SPENT.

Try perfectionism with a realization that nothing can be truely totally perfect, leading to a downward spiral of self loathing and depreciation because no matter how hard you try you'll never pull it off.

Perfectionism is one of the biggest Aspie traits that runs in my family. I have an aunt who can't rest until her house is spotless, and my grandfather was the type who would put tinsel on the Christmas tree one tiny piece at a time, making sure they were evenly distributed over the tree.

I'm very much the same way but I have the unfortunate added bonus that if I can't do something perfect I don't want to do it at all, so I avoid doing a lot of things I might otherwise enjoy. And I have the same problem as you with homework. I also hate admitting I didn't do my homework, so if I don't have it I will often skip class entirely.

For me, it really depends on what I'm doing when it comes to perfectionism. Some things just have to be perfect, whilst I'm lazy with other things.

I used to think that things should be perfect, however I have come to terms with my imperfection and the imperfection of this world...It seems that we have to make do with what we have...This realization and acceptance helped me a lot with gaining a peaceful state of mind...

Perfectionism screws me all the time. I always have major problems getting assignments done and handed in on time.

i could have done way better in highschool if i tried. but i didnt try. why try? w/ minimal efforts i still kept a 80-90 average.
i was in advanced maths and sciences. but math the mark came 100% from tests, no homework. and physics homework was almost nothing and labs where only 10% of the mark, i didnt do labs. i considered these my easiest classes.
i was in such a sped engligh class, that a monkey could pass. i rem the homework was so easy and teacher expected so little that i used to wip off crap while the teacher went desk to desk checking homework like we where in grade 2.
i took some comp classes like comp science and networking, and passed them w/ high 90s on previous knowledge.

Yes, my desire for perfectionism has resulted in me quitting on a fair number of pursuits and also not daring to attempt new ones lest I fail.

It's downright spooky how much we're all alike. Spooky, I tell ya. We're probably the descendants of a race of aliens who came and mated w/ humans or something. I realized I had a serious problem in high school when this kid, your typical bad boy (comes to school high etc), just asked me one day why the hell I never do my homework. I've just been told my whole life that I was lazy. My room is either perfectly neat and tidy or a filthy mess, never in between. I either go all the way or not at all, and it makes perfect sense to me.

I'm the same! My perfectionism makes it difficult for me to start something, let alone finish it!

I used to be VERY perfectionistic, and now I'm still a perfectionist but at a slightly lower level. I remember when I was 6 and went to a piano class, if I made a mistake I'd start the whole song all over again- so my teacher had to wait about 30 minutes until I finally played the song she taught me the past week. I do about the same thing with my guitar, right now...

I also used to see it as my responsibility to take responsibilities in school and do them perfectly... and when it came to teamwork, I always took leader and it would anger me A LOT if other people slacked off, which they mostly did... it wasn't enjoyable at all... I'd get anxious, stressed and do the whole thing myself in fear of being irresponsible. I'm really glad that I've decided to take things a little more easily... now I don't see it as my responsibility to take responsibilities, but only to do them very well if I take one.