Comments on: How Good Is Too Good?

By: What the Clangers Really Said (And How It Can Make Your Work Better)

What the Clangers Really Said (And How It Can Make Your Work Better) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:06:16 +0000

[...] perfectionism is the hallmark of many great creators. Like the builders of Notre Dame Cathedral, carving away at intricate details no-one would see but God. Or J.R.R. Tolkien writing up the [...]

By: Andra Phillips

Andra Phillips — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:24:43 +0000

I love this post Mark, and all your post I receive by email. Perfection is acheivable. It can be very personal and yet touch so many hearts. Please continue to write thought provoking posts.

By: Speed linking – Dec. 9 2009 | Broadcasting Brain

Speed linking – Dec. 9 2009 | Broadcasting Brain — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:56:23 +0000

[...] Action wonders how good is too good, a look at perfection in [...]

By: Mike Stenger

Mike Stenger — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:57:36 +0000

Great post Mark. I don’t think your work can be “too” good. As long as your customers are satisfied and you’re making the money your supposed to from each sale/service/project/etc., I think it’s pretty good

My standards are the same through all my different services. They are: Understand and define exactly what they need and/or want, work hard, give great value, work hard some more, and give some more great value. Oh, and DEFINITELY deliver in a reasonable amount of time.

One area that I would pick to massively over-deliver on would be my Social Media management and implementation that I just launched. There’s a lot of confusion and somewhat of an air of mystery for companies and businesses adopting Social Media and to over deliver and show just how powerful it really is, would be an awesome thing.

Keep up the great posts Mark! It’s always a joy reading

By: David Lupton

David Lupton — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:43:07 +0000

Hi Mark
I look forward to your newsletter and use the time reading it to reflect on the things that I do and how I can do things better. I have been interested in creative skills for many years and developed a course on Creative Thinking which I have run a number of times. Seeing people develop and overcome obstacles is one of the most rewarding things I do do.

I also write songs and paint and adore the feeling of creating something out of nothing.

Keep up the good work

Regards

David

By: erik

erik — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:39:16 +0000

Thanks for this great post.

This one and the one you did about Michelangelo awhile back are my two favorites from you.

Fascinating stories with a point.

I really appreciate it.

By: Dave Doolin

Dave Doolin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:38:23 +0000

I’m at a point where I want to step up the quality of my writing considerably.

Which means I’m going to have to step down the quantity to get the necessary time it will take to learn.

No clue how it’s going to affect my current metric (blog traffic), but I believe it’s necessary to take this step now to reap the rewards later.

Would this being considered perfectionism? Don’t know. Maybe. I prefer to think of it as another step in the process of mastery.

And I do revel in producing details in my writing that most people overlook. I don’t care that no one else gets it, it’s part of my art.

By: Kenji Crosland

Kenji Crosland — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:43:09 +0000

To me, producing the great comes from the willingness to produce the bad or the terrible. When we edit, we can chisel and hone what we’ve produced (and perhaps add a gargoyle or two) but thinking about gargoyles when one is laying the foundation is a dangerous mindset to adopt. It’s important to keep producing until we have created something to which we can add all the flourishes of perfection without a second thought.

I searched and searched but couldn’t find attribution for this quote (which I’m paraphrasing): “Let us produce the shitpile first from whence the beautiful flower can grow.”

By: Stacey Cornelius

Stacey Cornelius — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:56:12 +0000

The problem with cutting corners is what you have to say to yourself to justify the choice. You have to carry that with you, and it will colour how you approach your work and how you view both the world and yourself.

For me, it’s simply a matter of getting it right. No one else can set that standard–if I don’t feel it in my bones, I haven’t gotten it right.

There’s almost always room for improvement, but that’s what hindsight does–points the way forward.

Trying to achieve someone else’s definition of perfection (or more often, what you *imagine* as their definition of perfection) will drive you crazy. Do the best you can, with the resources you have, under the circumstances you are given, and know it’s all a work in progress.

By: Lynn Jericho

Lynn Jericho — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:45:58 +0000

The perfection of my work occurs in my listener’s or reader’s soul. I create opportunities and pathways for healing, liberating and strengthening the self. This requires the courage to be imperfect in my own eyes, so that the perfection may occur in the “I” of the other. Often the phrase or thought that I have most doubted, is the one that has “made the difference” for someone. I trust that the Gods use me as a pen or instrument and I don’t say that in laziness or carelessness.

My major creative gift to my readers are my Inner Christmas messages – for the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany (the time most feel a need to go inward) I write a daily message. There is a theme each year (2009 is twelve soul intentions) and I wake up each morning knowing that thousands of people around the world are waiting. I go deep into the intelligence and courage in my heart take a big deep breath and write. I don’t have time to perfect. The perfection comes through a collaboration between the Gods, me and my audience.

The Gods are not looking for perfection, they are looking for courage. The Gods are not demanding, they are compassionate. Like parents loving and celebrating the attempts of the child to begin to walk, to ride a bike, to sing a song, the Gods applaud and encourage our striving creativity.

Perfection can be paralyzing and deadening. Perfection can deny the alchemy. Perfection is the pain of doubt and the arrogance of hubris.

Risk imperfection!

Great post. My gratitude is yours.