A perfectionist wants everything to be just right. And a lot of perfectionists are high achievers, like Alais D’Clerq— brilliant philosophy student at Oxford, later elected as Oxford dean, writer, and producer of an award-winning television program — even talented enough to perform his own songs.

But the day a book he had been working on for a year was to come out, he ended his life by jumping in front of a train. He was reportedly fearful of what reviewers might say about his book.

This dark side of setting impossibly high standards can distort achievement, leading to depression and hopelessness and — in his case — suicide.

There was only one perfect person. Oh, and by the way, he died for you so that in God's eyes, you would be seen as perfect!

At one time you were separated from God. You were God’s enemies in your minds, because the evil things you did were against God. But now Christ has made you God’s friends again. Christ did this by his death while he was in his body. Christ did this so that he could bring you before God. He brings you before God as people who are holy, with no wrong in you.... (Colossians 1:21-22 ERV)