I see it every week with clients arriving feeling stuck, exhausted from over-analysis, searching for the perfect strategy, the perfect move, the perfect moment.
There’s even research on this. Studies like «Can Perfectionism Affect Career Development?» show that perfectionism is directly linked to negative career thinking and lower confidence in decision-making.
We’ve all heard «done is better than perfect.» But the more useful question is: ‘What standard should I actually aim for?’
One tool that helps when perfectionism hits is simply lowering your standard (I know, I know, bear with me). It’s not abandoning quality, it’s just releasing the grip.
A common starting point is the ‘good enough’. A 5/10. It breaks the paralysis, and that’s genuinely valuable. But personally, I like to aim a little higher: The ‘pretty good’. A 7/10.
That target pushes me to stretch, leaves room for small mistakes, makes the process enjoyable, and is sustainable enough to repeat in the long run.
Because if you push toward a 10 on everything, the action stops being about growth and starts being about not failing. The joy disappears. A 7/10 done consistently beats a 10/10 attempted once and abandoned.
And this isn’t a fixed rule. It’s adaptive. Not every action deserves the same level of commitment. Some things are routine and a 6/10 is more than enough. Others are genuinely critical (a key presentation, an important relationship, a pivotal decision) and those are worth pushing toward an 8 or 9. The skill isn’t just lowering your standard. It’s learning to calibrate it.
Knowing which tasks earn your full intensity, and which ones just need to get done.
People who look for perfection create fewer potential opportunities for themselves. Imperfection allows you to try many things at once instead of one thing perfectly. Keep what works, ditch the rest, expand your options. The serendipity that comes from diverse experiences will drive more success than a persistent, potentially myopic focus on a single path.
This is where the law of large numbers comes in. The larger the volume of opportunities you pursue, the greater the number you will have. Think of it like planting seeds. The more you plant, the more flowers bloom, including many you never saw coming.
So instead of asking «What is the perfect move?» try asking «What would a ‘pretty good’ next step look like?»
Aim for 7/10. Calibrate from there. Plant many seeds.
You don’t need perfect decisions. You need enough movement for luck to find you.
