Knowing when something is "good enough"

There's a time and a place for perfection, and writing ain't it

A few years back I was a fledgling team lead. I was learning to juggle the needs and strategies of multiple writers, and doing a spectacular job at helping a few of them REALLY well.

But I was also leaving tons of necessary managerial tasks undone. And I was failing to meet client goals on time during traditional working hours. (Nighttime work was a frequent friend and foe.)

After a few weeks of this, my manager and mentor pulled me aside and asked me how things were going. They could tell I was exhausted, and knew why:

"You're trying to 100% every task by Friday, when that's not possible in our role."

They were right. I was used to being a writer, where deadlines and week-end goals were the measurement of success. But I wasn't in a writing role anymore, I was becoming a team lead and handling bigger picture priorities.

"John, you need to know when to call a week 'good enough' and move on."

Cue light bulbs and bells going off.

Letting final drafts be final

I'm not a team lead anymore, but the concept of calling something "good enough" is one that helps me almost every single day.

Many writers pride themselves on being perfectionists. As the old adage goes, "Perfection is the enemy of done."

I'd like to present a new saying:

"Good enough is the companion of complete.”

Alright, the saying needs a little work. BUT, I stand by the concept.

When you’re a writer it’s really easy to keep things in draft form. You see a line and tweak it, you lose hours looking for a stat that doesn’t exist, or you keep changing the title. The list goes on and on.

Obviously you want to deliver quality work. There’s a big difference between quality and perfect. Perfect probably won’t happen, ever. But quality, or “good enough,” is actually achievable.

Review your brand standards, double-check the brief or assignment, and reread the piece to see if it delivers on what the title promises. If it’s something you or your client can proudly publish, consider that piece good enough.

Perfection is subjective, as are opinions on writing. You can chase perfection forever. Don’t. Save yourself heartache and time, and focus on consistency and quality. You’ll be happier, and your writing will benefit.

So, the next time you’re stressing out over a piece and aiming for perfection, step back and ask yourself:

Is this good enough?