How perfectionists learn to take more risks

I'm a reforming perfectionist. We typically fear failure and don’t like to rethink and take risks. But we can learn to take more risks, where we do it in small incremental doses.

In a study of highly accomplished architects, the most creative were B average students. Their straight A counterparts, perfectionists, were so determined to be right that they often failed to take the risk of rethinking the orthodoxy.

The way perfectionists can learn to take more risk is to not make risk taking a significant part of their reward or recognition in the beginning. 

University of Pennsylvania professor Adam Grant found his A grade students performed much better at giving a mini TED talk challenging an existing practice or promoting a disruptive idea when he made it 20% of their marks not 80%. 

Perfectionists will shy away from too much risk initially. But will embrace it if given in smaller doses, over time.