Insights and Challenges of Working With Perfectionism in Sport

Perfectionism is complex and ambiguous. However, there is little known about the experiences of sport psychology practitioners when working with perfectionistic athletes. This article presents a commentary on my personal insights when working with perfectionism and the challenges that I have faced. Here, I also draw on the literature from my work and from others to help illustrate these challenges. Recommendations for sport psychology practitioners in conducting these specific challenges are then presented. The article ends by outlining a personal reflection of working with perfectionistic athletes, followed by recommendations for good practice.