Get Productive: Stop Being Perfect

Kill Perfection – Perfection kills productivity – 80% is OK

Several of our clients share that they want everything to be perfect.  Voltaire once said, “The perfect is the enemy of the good. He’s right; the challenge with perfection is that it kills productivity.

Perfection is selfishly keeping your brilliance to yourself, and that doesn’t help the world.

Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist who discovered in 1906 that 80% of the landmass in Italy was owned by only 20% of the population.  He also later discovered that 20% of the pea pods in his garden contained 80% of the peas!

This became known as the Pareto principle – or 80/20 rule – and is sometimes referred to as  the law of the vital few.  It states that for many events, roughly 80% of the effect comes from 20% of the causes.

Regardless of how you apply this rule, it works. For example we women wear 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time (but don’t share this with your partner); we receive 80% of our revenue from 20% of our clients.

This rule has another use:  I think it is better to have 80% of an idea out in the world than 100% and still in your head!

It is OK not to be perfect. I am not saying only 80% quality — you still need to spell check and provide value — however seeking 100% on all activities and tasks in your life gets in the way of execution. Choose that 80% is OK.

Done is better than perfect – Perfection kills productivity but execution creates momentum.

Rory Vaden in his book Take the Stairs shares “Action is the inevitable pre-requisite for our success.” So true!

Do something – If you constantly wait to make something perfect,  the world won’t see it. If you don’t have time to type a letter, send a handwritten note.  People will appreciate you thought of them. If you really want to write a book chapter but don’t know where to start, write a blog post first. Get it out there.

Create public deadlines – If you have wanted to create a public workshop to attract new clients and add value to your existing clients, consider posting the date, booking the venue, sending the invitation, allowing guests to register – and THEN finalize the content of the workshop. I have created product offer order forms before products have been finished and it motivates me to get them complete.  We are so driven to keep our word that this public declaration will force you to complete it.

Does your perfection kill your productivity? Share your ideas with us here on our blog.

PS. If you want more ideas on how to increase your productivity – check out other blogs here and several eBooks you can share with your team.