A Personal Mantra

I’ve got to admit something. Between the two of us, Kendall is the (recovering) perfectionist. 

It’s never really been my problem. In fact, one of our original disagreements – or rather amusements about each other – was our individual strategies to approach studying for tests in college. I’d know what I needed to make on a test to get the overall course grade I wanted. Only need to make a 70 on the final to end up with an A in the class? I’d study 70%, get a 70, and come out with an A in the class for the semester. Then I remember witnessing how Kendall gave 100% all the time, to varying degrees of success (including some mishaps with economics). She couldn’t figure out how or why I could so precisely calculate what was needed. 

In the end, she strove for perfection and got an A. I went for efficiency and got an A. We both ended up in the same place. 

Perhaps it’s what I was taught early on in business school, that despite having to “show your steps” in elementary school math, the business world was about efficiency. Who could get the answer the quickest? 

I think this plays a major part in our entrepreneurial story today. When we’ve gotten caught up trying to make something perfect – which is impossible – we get stuck. I prefer action and movement to inaction. 

The answer is in knowing your abilities, constantly assessing your needs, and making quick iterations as needed.

#Perfectionism #ProgressNotPerfection #SmallBusiness #ATX #TeamWork #PersonalGrowth