I guess the issue that I have is that I see a big distinction between pushing yourself and being pushed by others. IMO, the first is how you learn work ethic, and the second is...well, not.
I'd focus more on the perfectionism, if that's the issue, than on trying to get him to read more. So, I'd try talking about how making mistakes can be a good thing (for oh so many reasons), how learning is a process that takes time and effort, how one can deal with frustration and disappointment, etc. I'd also try modeling a positive attitude toward mistakes.
