let the perfect be the enemy of the good
Idealism blocking progress
To let the perfect be the enemy of the good is to reject something adequate in pursuit of something flawless, often ending up with nothing at all.
The phrase warns against excessive standards: Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good—ship the product now and improve it later.
Sometimes inverted as advice: The perfect is the enemy of the good.
- perfectionismCompulsive pursuit of flawlessness
- all or nothingExtreme without compromise
- efficiencyProductive without waste
- overthinkingDwelling excessively on thoughts
- half measuresIncomplete or inadequate actions
brainstorming · prototyping · self-sabotage · procrastination · fixed mindset · Voltaire · cognitive dissonance · prioritization · experimentation · time management · diminishing returns · utilitarianism · trade-offs · adaptability · agile methodology · design thinking · delegation · creative problem-solving
let the perfect be the enemy of the goodgood enough
Meeting minimum standards
satisfice · satisficing · a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush · pragmatism · make do
let the perfect be the enemy of the goodship it
Release for delivery
take action · fail fast · minimum viable product · get moving · iterate
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