The Enemy Of Great
One of my favorite sayings is “Perfect is the enemy of great,” which is a slight adaption of Voltaire’s “Perfect is the enemy of good.” I remember the first time I heard it, and I immediately identified with it; when I have a creative idea, I do enough planning to get going, and then I set it into motion–I don’t wait to have every detail figured out because I know that will never happen and if by chance I did plan out every detail, something is going to change along the way.
I’m sure there have been various pursuits that would have been more successful if I had waited a little longer or planned a little more. Still, I will always err on the side of moving a little too early rather than never acting because of “paralysis by analysis.”
How many ideas on your " want-to-dos " list are still waiting for everything to be “perfect?”
Is it possible you’ve planned enough to start one of them and adapt as needed as your idea comes to fruition?
Letting the idea sit while you wait for the perfect time to act will cause your excitement, creativity, and willingness to put in the work to fade further, decreasing the chances your idea ever comes to life…with you. In an interview, Rick Rubin described how we are receivers of ideas, and if we don’t act on an idea quickly enough, it will find its way to someone else who is ready and willing to act upon it. I’m sure you have at least one idea that someone “stole” from you–well, if you believe Rubin, they didn’t steal your idea–it found someone ready at that time to bring it to life.
Perfection is the enemy of great and good; it is an unrealistic goal and an excuse for not acting on something. If you are hiding behind the idea of perfect timing or circumstances, look internally to see what fear lies beneath “perfection” and address it–overcome the fear and see if it becomes easier to act.
Don’t let the pursuit of your dreams be stopped because you feel the need for everything to be perfect before you make your next leap.
See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,
JC
