Striving for Perfection

With modern technologies and AI advancements, businesses can easily connect with customers and listen to their feedback and insights. Consequently, companies across various fields, whether in services or finished goods businesses, have become more customer-centric. The expectations of high levels of satisfaction from customers now shape the development process at an accelerating pace. The primary goal is to satisfy customers and increase market share. Companies that excel in this dynamic outperform their competitors. This raises the question: what truly satisfies customers within the existing framework, and is there something more that can be offered to meet and exceed satisfaction levels, thereby providing a distinctive market position?

I clarified this question from a personal experience with my daughter, who loves horror movies. These kinds of movies do not terrify me, but in my mind, I still remember the first horror movie I ever watched, “Fright Night,” the 1985 American supernatural horror film. I was around ten years old at that time, and I still remember how I was frightened and unable to sleep for days, so I promised my daughter, filled with confidence, that I would let her watch the most terrifying movie she could ever watch, even though I did bet her on how scary the movie was. I typed the movie's name, and it quickly appeared on YouTube. I connected the film to the TV screen, prepared the popcorn, turned the lights off, and played the most scary movie ever. It took less than 3 minutes, and we started to laugh as the once-terrifying effects now seemed comically outdated. A few years ago, this film's effects were so potent that sleep eluded me for days. It was so perfect that you feel it simulates reality.

This incident with the horror movie illuminated a profound philosophical insight into the transformative power of time and technology on human consciousness. It revealed how our perceptions and cognitive frameworks evolve as our surroundings change. What we once considered terrifying, impressive, inspiring, shocking, etc.—all adjectives become obsolete or imperfect as time passes and technology advances. This dynamic interplay and perceptual evolution highlight the nature of our judgments; it demonstrates the flexibility of our conceptual paradigms and the impermanence of our evaluation standards. It's a fascinating journey through the mind that leaves us in awe of the ever-changing nature of our perceptions.

This prompts me to consider a contentious philosophical inquiry: what is perfection?

Louise Lavelle, the French philosopher and one of the greatest French metaphysicians of the twentieth century, defines perfection as “the extreme peak of value." However, Albert Einstein made a remarkable statement: “There is nothing known as perfect. It’s only those imperfections that we choose not to see.” Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher and one of the foremost thinkers of the Enlightenment, defines perfection as “the completeness of anything in its own kind.”

The philosophy of perfection underscores essential ideas that can be clarified by distinguishing between three levels of reflection:

First, those considerations turn upon the relativity of perfection as a concept in the realm of time and the world of the visible.

Second, other factors focus on what may be called the engine or motivating power, which makes perfection not just a concept but a driving force in human life and evolution.

Third, those transcendental virtues (paramitas) refer to perfection in its most profound and highest aspect: perfection in spiritual wisdom.

Interpreting these three levels of reflection, the perfection theory gives perspectives that can provide dimensions to perfection: reality, motivation, & wisdom.?

Between the four definitions, there are significant differences to the extent that they are close to being similar; the similarity is how indecisive they are about perfection. If we can define perfection against value, the first question that will come to mind is which value should be considered functional, emotional, or physical. And if so, does time contribute to the valuation, i.e., what is valuable today might not be valuable tomorrow? Also, if it’s emotionally valuable but has no functional value, does that apply, and can such evaluations vary from one to another?

Einstein was wise enough to conclude that perfection is a personal preference and choice, stating that in the realm of humans, perfection doesn't exist. It’s how they perceive things with their own choice, which is consistent with the first level of the perfection theory at its foundational point. It puts perfection as naturally relative, varying according to context, standards, and expectations in the presence of time; such relativity is evident in both tangible and abstract realms, which profoundly necessitates a need for a precise definition of perfection, with emerging motivation at the second level as the critical force propelling individuals and societies towards perfection. Imagination, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence underpin this motivation. Beyond external expectations or societal norms, intrinsic motivation fuels the journey toward perfection. That leads to the third level, where wisdom in pursuing perfection involves a profound understanding of interconnectedness and impermanence. It recognizes the limitations of human perception and embraces the journey rather than fixating on an unattainable endpoint. Spiritual wisdom guides individuals towards a holistic perspective, where perfection aligns with inner peace, moral integrity, and compassionate action.

?The third level of the theory made me anxious to trace the word in the books of the monotheistic religions, the Quran, Bible, & Torah. The finding was consistent with my beliefs and knowledge; perfection in the three books implies only the mighty god and his actions.??What gave me a deeper perspective was when I traced the origin of the word “Perfection,” which derives from the?Latin?"perfection" and "perfect"—from "perfect." These expressions, in turn, come from "perficio"—"to finish" and "to bring to an end.". "Perfectio(n)" thus literally means "a finishing," and "perfect(us)" means "finished."

?This means that perfection is the end; there is nothing further to pursue after perfection. If we are meant to achieve perfection, life will not be as dynamic as today's. That’s why it’s impossible to achieve or to come close to perfection; even in our purpose, we are created not to be perfect but to master what we do.

?Such a notion does not apply to the perfection of our Creator, who embodies perfection in all His actions and fates. Everything we observe in His creation naturally possesses perfection, even if we do not observe a unified format or pattern. Consider the creation of humankind, for example, wherein there are many variations and inequalities. Such diversity might be interpreted as an indication of imperfection in His creation; we observe the healthy and the unhealthy, the tall and the short, the black and the white, etc. However, this interpretation is irrational. Perfection is present within the diversity and inequality we observe, as creation's holism cannot be assessed individually. The inconsistency in human creation is, in fact, perfection because it serves the overarching objective of existence. It manifests creative chaos, where variation is essential to fulfilling a holistic, unified purpose.

?The wisdom of the Creator enlightens my mind to facts that shape the definition of perfection, grounding its essence to our reality and realization, revealing that we are not intended to achieve perfection. However, diversification is our guide to evolving in our journey to perfection. Perfection represents the ultimate endpoint? beyond which there is nothing more to pursue; it’s the end of our strive for evolution; in the material world, it is a singular aspect, devoid of inclusion. Perfection is a description of the Creator, but for humanity, it is a philosophy, not an objective—a guiding principle rather than a destination.

This led me to the fact that there are two levels of perfection: the perfection of the supreme creator. Embodiment of perfection. And the material perfection related to our realm, which I have defined as the following:?

“Perfection is a state attained after a specific activity at a precise point in time and space that fulfills a precise need within the allocated timeframe and defined parameters, exhibiting zero tolerance margins. This state exists in an isolated medium, free from the influence of any intersecting or parallel activities that might contribute to the outcome.”

Perfection cannot be tied to quality, value, or excellence in absolute terms, as these concepts are subjective and broadly interpreted. Instead, perfection in the material world is a unique preference determined by each individual, varying according to context, time, and objectives. This definition of perfection is fluid, shaped by specific needs and criteria set by the individual at a particular time. Given our limited and always incomplete multi-dimensional perception, this parameter will define what contributes to the results, not the conditions or the medium where such activity occurs.

I want to give an example from the service industry to simplify the concept and show how humans define perfection in the material world. Usually, when we use any service, the provider follows up with a rating survey from bad to excellent or from one to five, asking the user to rate the overall experience, and, in some cases, they break it down to a maximum of five parameters that don't link much to the user.

For example, Consider an individual who orders an Uber to travel from one location to another. His parameters might include duration and cost; these are the essential parameters Uber users might consider. If Uber meets these parameters precisely with zero margins of deviation, then a state of perfection is attained. The user has defined expectations and parameters based on the circumstances when ordering. To explain further, if he ordered Uber in normal conditions to reach work in 15 minutes at the cost of 10 USD, then the perfect state for him is to deliver these two parameters, yet he might add other parameters. Let’s keep it this way for simplicity, but if the same individual is late to work in different circumstances and times, he will set 10 minutes as his goal. In this case, the cost might not be relevant. In another scenario, if the ride is for leisure, the quality of the ride (e.g., a fancy car with specific features) matters. In contrast, cost and ride duration might not matter, emphasizing that our judgment of perfection is confined to the particular objectives, goals, or needs we aim to fulfill.

But what if Uber arrives earlier than expected? Isn't that an enhanced state of perfection? While it might seem so, perfection, by definition, is the endpoint; there is nothing beyond it. If Uber arrives earlier, either the individual misdefined the required time, leading to an incorrect perfection point, or arriving earlier is a waste of time for him, and it might have other indirect implications like increasing the cost. Perfection occurs under specific conditions and is an absolute state. There is no intermediary.

This will take me back to the movie I watched with my daughter, which gave me a feeling of perfection to the extent that I felt it was real. It was not worth watching while applying the same effects and experience in different times and circumstances, underscoring the importance of time and perception in defining perfection.

This will drive me to the controversial question: How can we imply perfection as a concept in the business world? Many business influencers and leaders assert that the relentless pursuit of perfection can sabotage the business and hinder its developmental momentum. This approach is consistent with the philosophical view that perfection, as an absolute state, is a theoretical ideal rather than a realistic goal. The dynamic nature of business necessitates flexibility and adaptability, with constant improvement and advancement prized over the static pursuit of perfection. Accepting imperfection, learning from failures and mistakes, and iterating towards better solutions demonstrates a more pragmatic and resilient approach in today's ever-evolving business environment. As examples, I can mention the views of a few out of many:

Jack Ma (Alibaba): He emphasizes the value of learning from mistakes and the importance of action rather than waiting for the perfect moment, believing in the power of imperfection and the learning process that comes with it.

Steve Jobs (Apple): Steve was known for his pursuit of excellence and attention to detail; however, his quote, "Real artists ship," highlights his belief that while high standards are crucial, getting products out to the market and refining them over time is more critical.

Bill Gates (Microsoft): Gates has often spoken about striving for excellence but recognizes that perfectionism can hinder progress.

Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon): Bezos has famously talked about making decisions with around 70% of the information you wish you had rather than waiting until you have all the information. This approach values speed and adaptability over perfection.

Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Group): Branson often talks about the importance of taking risks and learning from mistakes. He believes in starting projects even when everything isn’t perfect, as waiting for perfection can hinder progress and innovation.

Undoubtedly, business leaders play an essential role in defining strategies, frequently based on their views of excellence in delivering products or services. However, the intended audience should define the ultimate notion of perfection—the users or consumers. Each person's definition of perfection differs depending on their specific requirements, circumstances, and expectations at a particular time. Here is the twist between satisfaction and perfection: Satisfaction occurs within the boundaries of what is offered to the customer, while perfection is achieved when customer expectations and parameters are precisely defined and met with zero margins of error.

Consider ordering an Uber ride; perfection could entail arriving on time and at the expected cost for one passenger. Another consideration could be the ride's comfort, the driver's friendliness, or even the hygiene of the cap. These many parameters, which highlight the subjectivity and context-dependency of perfection, encourage us to be open-minded and receptive to new ideas.?

In the coming few years, the algorithm used by AI will define the pattern of each individual, and the business will be able to know the preferences and attributes of its customers, which will change the competitive dynamic. In the coming era, customer satisfaction will be obsolete; instead, customer preference will prevail.? Companies must start adapting their offerings to evolve from a product-centric to a customer-centric approach based on the ongoing quest for perfection, invest in the required infrastructure to enable such transformation, recognize consumer wants, preferences, and priorities, and react to changing expectations. This continuing development is based on real-world interactions, ensuring the product or service experience constantly develops?to match customer expectations. Businesses that embrace this customer-driven concept of perfection can better match their efforts with what matters most to their target audience. This strategy improves client pleasure, encourages loyalty, and strengthens competitive advantage in a market where personalized experiences are increasingly important. "Reframing material perfection as a concept from a hindrance to a catalyst for growth."