Is Done Better Than Perfect?
"Done is better than being perfect."?It is a phrase that I have heard a lot in the past few years. ?The lesson from this phase is to get things done and to not get stuck in the overthinking mode or what a lot of analytical folks get into… Analysis Paralysis. ?
It's a balance of making sure you didn't make a silly mistake and moving forward.?When I publish these articles or create my videos to publish online, I try to make sure that I do not make a mistake.?Eventually, I force myself to push the Publish or Post button.?
Several years back, when I worked for Microsoft, I took a Personality Tests.?My test results had “Perfectionist” written boldly across the top.?I certainly had a hard time believing it… but since then, I have notice that I go into Overthinking or Analysis Paralysis mode.??I've acted too slow on stock trades, and even on purchasing real estate.?When I was writing code as a developer, my perfectionism came through… I thoroughly tested my solution before sending it to anyone (certainly, not every solution was bug free…but darn close to it.)??
In school we were taught to NOT make mistakes.?We were told to color within the lines.?If we wrote a paper or took a test, we would get big red marks on our work highlighting the incorrect answers (or was that just my stuff?!).
What I have learned as a Certified Trainer for Jack Canfield's Success Principles is that we need to Fail Forward.?In order to get the feedback we need, we have to move forward.?Making a mistake and having someone point it out can be a huge learning activity. ?
Getting things done versus trying to make it perfect can have many benefits.?First, you get to mark an item off your To Do list.?Getting something done is a boost to your self-esteem. ?If you are publishing or making something public, you are potentially stepping out of your comfort zone.?The more times you take action out of your comfort zone, the bigger your comfort zone becomes.?You become a better you.
Just because it is marked as done, does not mean you cannot go back and make it better.?If you are publishing an article and find a mistake you can go edit it.?If you are publishing a software solution and users find bugs, release an update.?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying to go fail forward without taking precautions.?Software creators need to run as many tests as possible, but eventually need to publish.?As an article or content creator, I need to proofread my material as much as possible, but eventually publish.
Here's 5 things I do before I publish an article:
And a bonus step… say a couple prayers.?
Done is better than perfect.?Take steps to minimize the mistakes and the risks. ?Don't get locked into making something perfect.?If you find a mistake later, don't sweat it.?Learn from the mistake and the feedback and try to do better next time.?The more you move forward, the better you will get.?
What you may have missed (This week's content):
Looking for 3 more Consultants:
I am looking for 3 more consultants to join me in the Consulting Career Acceleration System. If you are looking to improve and go to the next level, you may qualify to be in our next case study. Your next level could be a promotion, a raise, a bigger bonus, or possibly go independent.
If you would like to learn more or see if you qualify, let's set up a 15-minute Clarity Call. We'll review your career, where you want to go and how I can help you get there faster. Here's a link to setup a call.