Goodbye, Perfect: How To Stop Pleasing, Proving, and Pushing for Others…and Live for Yourself

Psychotherapist and career coach Kabir explains how to flourish and lead a purpose-driven life in this title. She is particularly interested in developing women’s leadership abilities in the workforce. Despite some efforts by corporations to include women, the author believes that few women are reaching their full potential. Using positive psychology to explain why women lack confidence, Kabir references the work of notable social psychologists that will inspire further study. She covers some well-known ground—women are trained to be caretakers while men are encouraged to chase their dreams—but also offers fresh insights surrounding the gender/pay gap. Kabir believes that too many women are dragged downward by self-criticism and the need for perfection; by comparing themselves to others and giving themselves impossible to-do lists, women face self-doubt and burnout. Advocating that women give themselves self-compassion, the author offers frameworks that can build joy, confidence, and purpose. Well-drawn charts elucidate abstruse concepts.