One of the things I often wrestle with is the balance between shipping (pushing that project live) and perfectionism.  Between knowing that nothing really counts in this world until you’ve pressed “print”, and knowing that I could always make it better.

Srini’s recently published book exalts the merits of being “raw”; of being personality filled sanding off the edges, while Szymanski explores the pros and cons of perfectionism. And both have valid arguments.  So where’s the balance?

For me, I believe it’s in shifting my thinking around what it means to be perfect.  And doing so by thinking about perfection in the eyes of my target audience; the people I really want my message/project/program/etc. to resonate with.  It’s about feeling that whatever I’m shipping is an accurate representation of what I set out to accomplish in the first place.  And being ok with the fact that it won’t resonate with everyone.  Because if my message is clear enough – if it’s on-point enough, and focused in a way that truly resonates with someone on a visceral level – then by default, it’s not going to resonate with most people.  And maybe that fits a new paradigm of perfection.