The Perfection Trap: Redefine Success | Aya Raqim | TEDxAmerican School of Marrakesh
In this raw and insightful talk, a medical student unpacks the hidden dangers of perfectionism and the heavy toll it takes on mental health, self-worth, and joy. Drawing from personal experience and powerful research, she challenges the belief that success means flawlessness. Instead, she proposes a radical shift: redefining success as balance, authenticity, and well-being. Through relatable stories and eye-opening studies, this talk is a call to students and high achievers everywhere—let go of the illusion of perfection, embrace imperfection, and start living a life that’s meaningful, not just impressive. Perfection is often celebrated as the ultimate goal, but it can quietly become a barrier to real success. As a medical student and someone who has struggled deeply with perfectionism, Aya knows firsthand how the fear of making mistakes can limit growth and prevent us from taking the very risks that lead to greatness. This talk invites us to rethink success, embrace imperfection, and find freedom in failure. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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