Excellence ... not perfection

Ever had one of those days where your brilliant idea turns into a spectacular face-plant?

[ Just me? … I’ll own it. 😜 ]

Edison's quote isn't just some historical footnote — it's basically the entrepreneur's anthem.

Think about it: after thousands of failed attempts this guy’s sitting there going, "Nah, these aren't failures. They're just... learning opportunities."

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Here's the real kicker: imagine if he'd quit at attempt #9,999?

We'd probably all be sitting in the dark right now, sending carrier pigeons instead of emails.

[ And let's be honest, those birds are even LESS reliable than Mac mail. ]

***

The next time you're ready to throw in the towel, remember: you're not failing – you're just building your own personal library of "ways that don't work."

And who knows? Attempt #10,000 might just be your lightbulb moment.

The Dark Side of Perfectionism

I used to wear “perfectionist” as a badge of honor.

Growing up, it was my superpower. My perfectionism earned me scholarships and accolades. It was something to aspire to and celebrate.

But I learned quickly that there’s a dark side to perfectionism in the real world.

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I was looking for “straight-As” from bosses and clients, and they weren’t given.

I’d spend countless extra hours on a “flawless design,” but it was still critiqued and changed.

I’d anxiously wait for that celebratory “pat on the back” for my time and painstaking effort, but it never came.

And it SUCKED. For a LONG time.

***

Until I finally realized that (in the real world) perfection is a toxic illusion.

It distracts us from what’s achievable.

It makes us feel inadequate.

It prevents us from exploring, failing, and growing.

***

If I could go back and tell my younger self one thing, it would be to strive for EXCELLENCE over perfection.

And there’s a big difference.

Striving for excellence still upholds high standards, progress, motivation and goals — just without all the fear, self-doubt, self-criticism, and dependence on other people’s opinions.

Believe me, this change is still a work in progress. But I know it’s well worth the effort.

Will you join me?

Stress-Free Tech

Do you find yourself staring at a blank screen, wracking your brain for new content ideas? The struggle is REAL.

But it doesn’t have to be.

This amazing free tool from SEM Rush helps overcome writer’s block — INSTANTLY. Just enter a broad search term related to your target or industry and it provides a list of topics that are popular and trending.

💥 BOOM. Problem solved!

Victory Points

One of our favorite quick games right now is Castle Combo (#ad) — a clever tile-based game where you build the best castle possible with the pieces you’re given.

Each tile features different characters and scoring bonuses, but the catch is that you won’t always get the perfect layout.

Sometimes, your plan comes together beautifully. Other times, you’re forced to pivot and find clever ways to make an imperfect layout … work.

Sound familiar?

In work (and life), we rarely get the “perfect” setup. But excellence isn’t about waiting for ideal conditions — it’s about playing the best game possible with what’s available.

So next time things don’t go as planned, forget perfection. Build something great anyway.