I used to rewrite emails five times before sending them. I’d sit on reports for days, convinced they needed just one more tweak. And even now, I catch myself doing it—like with an internal training on data storytelling and visualization that I’ve been working on forever. I tell myself I need to read one more book (currently finishing Effective Data Storytelling by Brent Dykes), one more article, one more post.
A compulsion toward perfection is stopping me from making progress. The reality? I could easily present a solid training right now, but I haven’t—because I want to be absolutely sure I know every last detail first. It’s silly, I know.
Recognisable? Perfectionism can be enemy number one when trying to get projects off the ground. We like to think perfection is a noble pursuit, but so often it’s a crutch. A comforting procrastination. A compulsion that drains resources and kills momentum.
So from now on, I’m trying to live by these three Good Enough rules:
- If waiting won’t significantly improve the outcome – say less than a 10% improvement – go for it.
- If issues can be quickly fixed post-launch, don’t delay.
- If striving for perfection is demotivating the team or yourself, stop.
Perfection has its place, but in most cases, progress beats perfection. I believe that keeping these rules in mind can help avoid unnecessary bottlenecks and move projects forward efficiently.
The Struggle with Perfectionism
As a Criminology student, I was fascinated by the subject, but my battle with perfectionism and procrastination was relentless. I often felt paralyzed staring at a blank document, thinking that I didn’t know enough yet to write down anything worth reading. Tim Urban’s concept of the “Instant Gratification Monkey” describes this perfectly—constantly steering me away from the work that mattered until panic took over. A few days (or, let’s be honest, hours) before a deadline, I’d enter crisis mode, frantically piecing together papers that, to my surprise, often turned out just fine.
At the time, I thought I was just disorganized. Looking back, I realize that my perfectionism was actually making me less productive. The fear of not being perfect was stopping me from even starting.
Everything changed when I moved into data analysis. Suddenly, there was no room for last-minute panic-driven work. Data had to be precise—right or wrong, up-to-date or outdated. My procrastination monkey began to retreat, and I became hyper-focused. I pursued a postgraduate degree in Business Analytics, determined to master the field. This time, I chased perfection deliberately, believing analytics had no room for “good enough.”
The Problem with Perfectionism
At first, striving for perfection felt empowering. But I quickly realized that perfection is near impossible. The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle) illustrates this well: 80% of outcomes often come from just 20% of the effort, and pushing for perfection beyond that can lead to diminishing returns.
Perfection creates bottlenecks, prevents iteration, and leads to missed opportunities. In many business contexts, the Lean Startup philosophy—where speed and iteration matter more than flawlessness—can be more effective. Eric Ries, in The Lean Startup, emphasizes launching a minimum viable product (MVP) rather than waiting for perfection, allowing for continuous learning and adaptation. If an MVP isn’t truly minimal, trim it down to keep progress moving.
Let’s be clear: in some cases, like open-heart surgery or bomb disposal, perfection is mandatory. But in the corporate world, particularly when innovating or delivering results quickly, good enough is often all you need.
The Power of ‘Good Enough’
Years later, I found myself leading a project where my own perfectionism became a roadblock again. I was responsible for tracking the launch of a new feature, and I spent endless hours testing every possible scenario, determined to eliminate all potential issues before release. The launch date got pushed back multiple times. Each delay seemed justified at the time, but looking back, I realize we weren’t preventing disaster—we were just stalling.
Some projects can and should be launched knowing they’re not perfect—provided you have the right processes to quickly address any issues. A helpful rule of thumb: If 80% of the functionality is in place and the gaps won’t break anything critical, launch. Fix later. Perfection doesn’t always add value, but timely execution does.
This mindset was reinforced while working in consulting. A client launched a new website, fully aware it wasn’t perfect. They debated delaying but pushed forward, knowing they could handle any issues that arose. The project team was fatigued, but pushing through kept them motivated. The launch wasn’t flawless, but it was functional, and most importantly, it was live. Over the next few weeks, they iterated, fixed bugs, and refined the user experience. The result? A successful launch and a motivated team that learned as they went. Teams that push through the final 10% chaos tend to learn faster and avoid long-term fatigue. Delay breeds demotivation.
Why This Matters for Digital Analytics Professionals
In digital analytics, speed matters. Insights have a shelf life. A perfect dashboard six weeks late is worthless compared to an 80% complete one delivered today. Decision-makers need timely, actionable insights, and perfectionism can actually block decision-making.
The next time you’re tweaking a report for the tenth time, stop. Ask yourself: Is this already delivering value? If so, send it. The best analytics teams iterate quickly and improve based on feedback rather than waiting for perfection.
The Takeaway
Striving for perfection can be counterproductive. Instead of waiting for everything to be flawless, move forward with good enough and adapt as you go. Done is often better than perfect.
In the corporate world, adopting this mindset allows for faster innovation, resource optimization, and a healthier work culture. So, the next time you’re working on a project, ask yourself: Is this good enough to move forward? If waiting won’t significantly improve the outcome, and the issues can be fixed later, the answer is often yes.