When does having high standards become a bad thing? Experts suggest you ask yourself a few key questions, then practice answering them with the replies printed here.

Do you criticize yourself mercilessly when you make a mistake?

Begin replacing negative self-talk with more realistic and positive statements. For example, tell yourself the truth: You’re human and everyone makes mistakes from time to time. If you’ve done your best, say so and keep repeating it.

Do you have difficulty seeing a situation from someone else’s point of view?

Often, perfectionists are unable to look at themselves objectively. To clear this hurdle, speak to yourself as if you were trying to reassure a close friend who was lambasting himself or herself for falling short of a goal.

Do you agonize about small trifles, such as wearing the right color shoes with a certain outfit?

Practice asking yourself how much the issue really matters. Put that way, you’ll probably find that what seemed so earth-shattering is actually not worthy of a second thought.