“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good.” This was a phrase I heard recently in a podcast. I’ve always considered myself somewhat of a perfectionist; I’m particular about the way I think things should be done and want things to be just right. There’s nothing wrong with being careful and precise, but at a certain point, this becomes somewhat of a detriment. The pursuit of perfection means I don’t hit submit, I don’t press send. In some cases this identity becomes an excuse. In some cases I don’t even get started because I’m waiting for “perfect conditions.” In reality I’m just scared of what might happen next. If I fail, that hurts my pride. If I succeed that builds pressure for the future.
If I can stay somewhere in the middle, perpetually “in-progress,” then I can say “I’m working on it,” without facing the consequences. The problem with that is there is no progress, I’m stuck in developmental purgatory.
Both failure and success result in growth of their own kind. Waiting for perfect results in stagnation. Things don’t need to be perfect in order for them to be good. Perfection (whatever that is) can’t happen over night, and I won’t get there without scraping my knees along the way. I just gotta suck it up and do the work.
nANIMOv 