How to Adopt a “Good Enough” Mindset and Achieve More in Less Time
3 actionable tips to overcome perfectionism for good
“Perfection is the enemy of good.” They say.
We’re probably well aware of how perfectionism damages our chances of achieving our goals.
We’re also probably aware we need to embrace progress more and learn to be okay with delivering imperfect work.
This concept sounds good in theory, but how do we practice this?
Here are 3 actionable tips to help you adopt a “good enough” mindset and overcome perfectionism.
Shrink your time limit
If you read about productivity, you’ll know Parkinson’s Law:
Our work expands to fill the time available for its completion.
This principle means if we give ourselves one week to complete a one-hour task, the complexity of the task will increase to fill that time.
The more time we give ourselves, the more we allow perfectionism to creep into our work.
One way to combat Parkinson’s Law is by setting a shorter time limit to finish your work. The more aggressive your time limit is, the more intense your focus will be during the timeframe.
Creating constraints is often the best way to foster speed, creativity, and progress. Whenever you start losing momentum, shrink your time limit.
Prioritize the top 20%
If you read about productivity, you’ll also know the Pareto principle:
80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.
When you start a new piece of work, ask yourself:
“What’s the most important thing I can do that truly moves the needle?”
Use this prompt to help you identify where your focus and efforts can make the most meaningful impact.
By focusing on the 20% that truly matters, we can achieve more with less time and total effort.
Be the guide, not the hero.
I often forget that the ultimate purpose of my work is to help others.
My work is valuable only if my audience finds value in it.
My audience is the hero in their journey. I’m merely their guide.
When I adopt this perspective, my mindset shifts from “How can I make myself sound smart?” to “How can I help my audience better and faster?”
The content we’re holding off on from fear of imperfection could be mind-blowing for someone else.
Think less about ourselves and more about others to embrace publishing “good enough” work.
In summary:
Adopting a “good enough” mindset can accelerate our progress and help us achieve more in less time. We can practice this by:
- Shrinking our time limit
- Prioritizing the top 20%
- Being the guide, not the hero
I hope this helps. Feel free to let me know any comments/questions you might have.
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