I just spent 3 hours perfecting my posts for the week. I needed 30 minutes.
And nobody will notice the difference.
Perfection is the enemy of progress.
I've watched brilliant people sit on game-changing ideas for YEARS because they weren't "ready."
What a tragic waste.
Here's the brutal truth about perfection:
It's a mirage that keeps moving as you approach it.
I've seen this play out hundreds of times:
The founder who won't launch until everything is "just right."
The marketer who's on draft #17 of a campaign.
The professional who won't apply for the job until they're "fully qualified."
Here's what I think is happening:
Fear disguised as perfection.
The math is simple but uncomfortable:
80% perfect and SHIPPED beats 99% perfect and STUCK every single time. Heck 60% perfect might be "good enough" to get started.
Why?
Because motion creates momentum.
Momentum creates data.
Data creates improvement.
Improvement creates success.
But you can't improve what doesn't exist.
I've repeated this mistake over and over in my own life.
Here's what I wish someone had told me:
Perfect first drafts don't exist.
Perfect timing doesn't exist.
Perfect readiness doesn't exist.
What DOES exist is the opportunity cost of waiting.
Every day you spend polishing is a day you're not:
- Getting real feedback
- Learning from mistakes
- Building momentum
- Gaining confidence
- Making actual progress
The most successful people I know aren't perfectionists.
They're iterators.
They're launchers.
They're improvers.
They understand that "good enough to start" beats "perfect someday" every time.
Your turn: What have you been sitting on that's "good enough" to ship right now?
Imperfectly yours,
Jeff
P.S. If you're waiting for the perfect moment to make a change, I have news for you: Today at XX% effort is better than tomorrow at 100%. Tomorrow never comes.