Perfection and risk have an interesting, sometimes paradoxical relationship. Sometimes the way forward is backward. Other times, it’s hard to know which is the bigger risk: curtailing the hunt for perfection or pushing further for it. When the two work together the results can be astounding.

In our work we often encounter clients grappling with this dynamic relationship. Creative middle-managers struggling to sell a vision their leaders find ‘too far out there’. A-type personalities born to go the extra mile discovering that sometimes just ‘good’ is perfect enough. Whole teams eager to innovate, but without first establishing a shared definition how far they’ll go.

We’ve found four views on the matter that we’d like to share with you:

• What if the Secret to Success Is Failure?  - Paul Tough’s New York Times Magazine article paints a wonderful portrait of an risk-taking educator in the city who believes failure is a better teacher than perfection.
• The Art of Living Dangerously – In the TEDx talk embedded above, William Gurstelle explores ways to quantify just how much of a risk-taker you are, and the results of taking risks. You can find further motivation to risk in his explosive books Backyard Ballistics and Absinthe & Flamethrowers.
• Overcoming Perfectionism: The Key to a Balanced Recovery – Ann W. Smith’s book explores how perfection-seeking gets in the way of effectiveness and happiness. Our favorite part is the catalog of behavioral descriptions of perfection seeking, including “if the typos in this book irritate you then…”
• Preoccupations:  Dreams of Perfection Don’t Float  - Lawrence W. Cheek’s poignant reflection on perfection inspired by his attempt to build a beautiful boat. We find poetry in his suggestion that sometimes just floating is good enough.

We’re curious how this dynamic emerges in your own work. Tell us in the comments section below.

And, of course, please tell us if you find a typo on this page 🙂