Perfection Is the Enemy of Progress
Perfection is an illusion. Things will never be perfect. If you wait until everything is just right, you will never get anything done. This is true both for starting and for finishing something.
Imperfection that exists is infinitely more valuable than perfection that never sees the light of day. Your system is worth nothing if you don’t actually create and put things out into the world. Action is worth more than “tawk”.
The solution is to lower the barrier for entry and completion. Break things down into smaller parts and get started on the low hanging fruit. Get to 80% and ship. Avoid constant tweaking and overthinking. Just do it, no matter how bad or unfinished you may think something is.
If you focus on getting to 80%, you’re likely to realize that the remaining 20% is often unnecessary. 80% is enough. It can be refined after you have shipped. The act of shipping forces you to improve, iterate, and actually create value.
Food for Thought
A few years ago, I discovered Rick Beato, a producer turned YouTuber known for his music analysis and breakdown videos. While they are informative, I think his true talent is storytelling. In one of his earlier videos, he reflects on how two major failures dramatically shaped his life trajectory and made him who he is today. It’s a reminder that failure can often lead to success.