Quality vs. Quantity (it's both)

In James Clear's book Atomic Habits, he references a study done by a Photography professor that illustrates the relationship of quality and quantity. One set of students was given instructions to submit one photo at the end of the semester. The other set of students were told to submit 80-100 photos.

The students who submitted more photos had a higher quality of work than the students who's main focus was quality.

Why is that?

In their pursuit of the perfect photo, the quality group put quality on the pedestal. They most likely obsessed over the tiniest details and did not iterate. This in turn led to photos that, while good in their own right, seemed a lower quality overall compared to the quantity group.

The quantity group was primarily concerned with quantity. By taking and editing many photos, they were taking actions that ultimately increased the quality of their work.

So, quality vs. quantity.

It's not one or the other. It's both. Quality and quantity.

The key is to not let your own perception of quality get in the way. You are a producer, a tester, and a creator. You need to keep doing these things in order to grow.

Quality improves with quantity, so long as you are listening and adjusting.

Put another way: imagine Lebron James wants to take the perfect shot every game.

If Lebron waits...and waits...and waits... and then misses his shot, well he's certainly not going to be the object of any fan's admiration for long.

Rather, Lebron needs to take hundreds of practice shots every week and up to 20-40 shot attempts per game in order to achieve the level of success he wants to achieve. He gets to quality performances from the consistent quantity of reps.

So, what steps can you take to produce your work consistently in order that the change you want to see in the world is manifested and the quality of your work improves over time?

Let's get to publishing.