Done is better than good.

Listening to an interview with author Elizabeth Gilbert on NPR's Ted Radio Hour, she said that the best advice she ever received from her Mom was, "Done is better than good."

From her blog:


"DONE IS BETTER THAN GOOD.

Dear Ones –

Those of you who regularly follow this page know that I say this all the time. The best lesson my pragmatic mother ever taught me, and the opposite of perfectionism: Done is better than good.
What she meant was: Just get it done. It doesn't have to be immaculate; it just has to get done.

I like the way George Patton said it, too.

I cannot even tell you how many plans I have "violently executed" by the seat of my pants, rather than waiting for things to be perfect. In fact, I have written every single one of my books that way — in stolen moments, as efficiently as I can, and constantly letting things slide that are not ideal.
Ben Franklin said that laws and sausages are two things you never want to watch being made. I would add to that: Books.

If we wanted to have a really boring afternoon together, I could sit down with you and point out every single mistake, shortcoming, shortcut, and problem in each one of my books. I could show you underdeveloped characters, points where I skipped over 20 years in the narrative because I couldn't figure out how else to do it, areas where I didn't do the research I probably should have done, or where I rushed an emotional epiphany. I could show you characters that I killed off simply because I didn't know what else to do with them. But you know what? Those books are DONE. All six of them:

Done. And they are FINE. And for that, I am proud.

Because at some point, you really have to put the kid on the school bus and send him out into the world, ready or not.

And I think this goes for everything."



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