When Done Is Better Than Perfect

Just one more tweak, one more practice session, one more text revision and one more read through. Just one more meeting, one more draft, and one more test of the technology.

Go on, admit it..are there ever occasions when your pursuit of perfection gets in the way of actually getting things done?

I confess, I’m guilty of this one. Sometimes I get so caught up in wanting everything to be so faultless that I fail to seize the moment and actually get the job done.

That’s right, as important as accuracy and professionalism is, I’m about to argue that sometimes the pursuit of perfectionism can go too far. There are indeed occasions when done is better than perfect.

What’s driving the hold-up?

So there you are. It’s Monday morning, you have your call list at the ready, and the phone laid out in front of you. But rather than dialling the number you find yourself reworking the script and revising the dialogue before making a call. What should I say? Is it good enough? Is it just right? Is it perfect?

OK, question time…Are you actually pursuing perfection here or are you procrastinating and delaying making the call. More importantly, is the precise wording critical? Isn’t it actually the gist, your tone, and having the ability to also listen that matters more?

Next scenario: You’ve got a meeting coming up, and suddenly you find yourself sidetracked with the PowerPoint presentation, spending too much time getting the font right, the graphics aligned, and the paragraphs precisely spaced.

And it results in your spending too many late nights in front of a computer instead of getting some well-deserved rest.

Our desire and belief that perfection is the goal often gets in the way of focus and high-value work. We get waylaid with the little things, and it blocks our progress instead of moving it forward.

Is ‘perfect’ warranted?

When it comes to perfection, it’s always a good idea to ask yourself: is ‘perfect’ warranted? Is it absolutely imperative that everything is in its place and just so?

Sure, if you’re doing the maths on a moon landing, perfect is non-negotiable, and yes, the copy on your real estate listing should be proofread within an inch of its life.

But what about those calls we mentioned earlier, and that PowerPoint? What value does perfectionism have there? Would good have been good enough? Would ‘done’ have got you where you needed to be?

The solution here is to establish the intent.

What are you trying to achieve? Who are you trying to reach? What’s the bit that actually matters? Is it making the call, or the exact sequence of words that you say?

If you find ‘perfect’ is getting in the way of ‘done’, use and apply the Pareto 80/20 principle.

Remember the 20 per cent that’s involved in getting started generates 80 per cent of the results.

Trying to add another '80 per cent of perfection' only generates a further 20 per cent of results.

The numbers never lie, and if we reverse engineer so many of our activities, we will note that getting closer to perfection may be robbing us of valuable time and resources.

So the moral of the story? Don't let perfection get in the way of doing. Know when done is better than perfect!

About the Author

Manos Findikakis is the CEO of Agents’Agency, Australia’s first multi-brand real estate network, ‘the only fully integrated solution for you and your people to create an unforgettable experience.’

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