Perfection is procrastination

I’m someone who gets so caught up thinking about how to get things done that I never end up doing them. Is this the best way to do this? Who should I listen to? What if I’m wrong?

My attempts at avoiding mistakes ironically cause my own failure. It’s failure of inaction, which can be harder to see in the present when it’s something that compounds. Seeking perfection is delaying seeing my mistakes by changing their cause from action (small mistakes observed in the present) to inaction (big mistakes observed in the future).

Here are three quotes from Austin Kleon’s books that help me push through my fears:

Learn in front of and with others

“The best way to get started on the path to sharing your work is to think about what you want to learn, and make a commitment to learning it in front of others.”

Show Your Work!, Austin Kleon

Build what you want to see

“Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use — do the work you want to see done.”

Steal Like an Artist, Austin Kleon

Take your time

“Go easy on yourself and take your time. Worry less about getting things done. Worry more about things worth doing. Worry less about being a great artist. Worry more about being a good human being who makes art. Worry less about making a mark. Worry more about leaving things better than you found them.”

Keep Going, Austin Kleon