The Power of Shipping at 90%
This week I want to dig into a saying that I use regularly to push me past the working phase and into actually accomplishing goals and completing projects.
It goes like this - “Ship at 90%”
You see - I’m a bit of a perfectionist & you may be, too. We grew up being told that there was an exact solution to solve every problem, with tests and projects that would flat out grade our success from 0 to 100. I got good grades because I like being rewarded for good behavior - I ate those gold stars up and felt immense joy standing with the rest of the Beta Club.
But in the real world, there is no flat grade from 0 to 100. We don’t get to check our averages and we definitely aren’t all getting graded on the same performance rubrics. Success as an entrepreneur, as a brand, as a business owner - it’s entirely subjective. We measure success based off of our unique interpretation of what defines it.
All I’m saying is, all of those gold stars and TAKS tests may have subconsciously turned you into a perfectionist. There are good things about that. But today we’re focusing on the downside - stagnation due to the dream of the perfect solution.
The Problem with Perfectionism
As a designer, I hold myself to high standards. I want every vector to be perfect, every detail to be flawless, and every user experience to be seamless. However, this pursuit of perfection can lead to stagnation. When you strive for 100%, you risk never launching your projects at all.
The truth is, if we wait until everything is perfect, we may find ourselves caught in an endless loop of revisions and second-guessing. We may miss opportunities to actually launch our projects, connect with our audience, and grow and evolve.
Design is subjective. Business is subjective. We are all problem solvers - and solving problems is subjective. For every problem that exists, there could be millions of creative ideas drawn up to present a solution. As a creative problem solver, the longer you stare at a problem, the more time you have to inevitably come up with a better solution for it, subjectively.
This is where that stagnation can occur. Failure to launch because you NEED it to be 100% right. But if you’re a perfectionist (brace yourself), your standard of 100% is most likely unachievable.
Embracing Imperfection
So when the perfectionist in you is keeping you from launching your next great idea, from starting that new business relationship, from growing into the next phase of your business and offerings, remember to ship at 90%.
That means that the goal is no longer 100% (because your standards are impossibly high). Everyone has plans - but few will take the steps to turn them into actions.
By putting our work out into the world, we invite feedback that can help us improve. We create opportunities for connection and collaboration. It is more valuable for you to ship at 90% than it is to delay your growth because the perfectionist in you wants to keep turning the wheels.
If you find yourself caught in the cycle of perfectionism, remember: it’s better to ship something that’s good than to wait for something that’s perfect. Set your boundaries, create your milestones, and don’t be afraid to ship at 90%. Your work deserves to be shared, and the world can only benefit from your creativity.
Until next time, keep designing and keep shipping!
- Katie Mont
