Michelle, Having raised a son with such tendencies I'm not sure if there is a clear cut answer to your question. (Life was nearly over for him when he got a B in a general education course his second year in college. It ruined his life since he had always been a 4.0. Good news was that life did go on and he was able to get a job and be successful in spite of getting a B once in his life.) They are so hard on themselves that they often miss the joy of learning and growth that is occurring. When I have students like this I generally work with them on special projects so they can feel satisfied with their efforts and make these projects as perfect as they want. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. It is an ongoing challenge to find what will help them to see the value of what they are learning but not stress too much on the perfection aspect. Gary Dr. Gary Meers