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FURTHER READING…
THE MYTH OF CONTROL ...and why it might be holding you ba
Persia Hayley is co-author of The Easy Way to Overcome Anxiety: Build Emotional Resilience and Boost and Robin Hayley, out on June 1st, published by Arcturus, priced £9.99 (paperback and audiobook) and
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or many women in business, control can feel like competence. When you know you may be judged for being too assertive or not assertive enough, too emotional or too cold, it is easy to believe the answer is to manage every detail perfectly. And when women are still so often expected to prove themselves, it can feel as if you must be more prepared than everyone else to be taken seriously.
“This is the myth of control: the belief that certainty is possible if only you work hard enough to secure it.”
So, you rewrite an email five times before pressing send or
THE PERFECTION TRAP:
EMBRACING THE POWER OF GOOD ENOUGH By Thomas Curran (Scribner, 2024) Curran examines how perfectionism has become a cultural epidemic fuelled by competition, social media, and workplace pressure. Drawing on psychological research and personal stories, he explains how impossible standards create burnout, anxiety, and chronic dissatisfaction. The book offers a compelling argument for “good enough” thinking as a healthier, more sustainable path to ambition, creativity, and professional fulfilment.
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prepare for every possible objection before a meeting. On the surface, this can look responsible, professional, even impressive. But often it is anxiety disguised as diligence. It tells you that if you can just find the perfect words, anticipate every reaction, and avoid every possible mistake, you can escape your racing thoughts, the tight chest and the knot in your stomach. This is the myth of control: the belief that certainty is possible if only you work hard enough to secure it. This often manifests as the Illusion of Preparedness: the idea that if
MANAGING YOUR ANXIETY
By Harvard Business Review and contributors including Alice Boyes (Harvard Business Review Press, 2024) This workplace-focused guide examines how anxiety influences leadership, communication, productivity, and decision-making. Using researchdriven strategies, the contributors address overthinking, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and fear of failure. Designed for professionals in demanding environments, the book combines emotional intelligence frameworks with practical techniques to help readers manage stress without sacrificing ambition, confidence, or performance.
THE UNACCOUNTABILITY MACHINE By Dan Davies (Profile Books, 2025)
Davies explores how modern organisations create confusion, stress, and emotional detachment through complex systems where responsibility becomes diffused. Although not strictly a self-help book, it offers sharp insight into the psychological pressures of corporate life, workplace anxiety, and decision paralysis. The book reveals how dysfunctional structures often intensify perfectionism, fear, and chronic professional dissatisfaction.