Voltaire said this - Don't let perfect be the enemy of good!, My ex boss introduced me to this deeply philosophical concept and I liked it instantly when I heard her saying for the first time.
I do tend to agree with it in the context of our work life where we often delay execution for want of perfection and that can bring down the desired impact, time as they say is critical in the fast moving world. The patient will be dead if we keep waiting for the best doctor to arrive, we need to trust when good is enough.
However while reading Steve jobs biography, I thought good can be the enemy of great.. Jobs brought some magnificent products with his sheer madness around perfection, around bringing a great product much ahead of its time, he rebelled against practical wisdom and he managed to create all of this only through this.. Had he also thought let perfection be damned, good is enough would we have not stuck in mediocre products?
Does good not bring us a mediocre life? Striving for perfection is what gets us to move up... There are facets of greatness of which we cannot cut corners, we should not for our own good.
What aspect to strive for perfection and what not, is a question we must answer and live with both the good and great....
No comments:
Post a Comment