For years I’ve tried to define success. It’s such a difficult word. The concept seems simple enough, but it breaks down when you try to corral it with words. I picked up a book some years back that was a collection of definitions of success from leaders all around the world. It was interesting that there was very little overlap. Almost everyone had a different definition of success. The only thing that was consistent, is that success is not having lots of money.
So if success is so hard to define, how can we set a goal to reach it? Hmmm…
How about excellence. This word is a little easier. Do the best you can. Be the best you can be. It’s about putting out the best product you can create, writing the best book that words will allow, or painting your masterpiece. Setting a goal for excellence is much easier that setting one for success, because excellence is easier to visualize. Yet there is one inherent problem with excellence. How do we know when our creation is good enough? For so many things, there is always one more revision, one more tweak, or one more modification. Perfection is a dirty word…
The problem with excellence is knowing when to ship. Is it truly good enough?
How about just getting things done. Set a time limit, create your product, and ship on time. Meet your deadlines. Give no care to how it stacks up. Just get it out to the marketplace. The first one to ship…wins. While there is something to be said for finishing your project and getting it out the door, if it is just good, that may not be enough. It may just be a commodity. As the old saying goes… Good Enough, Isn’t…
The problem with getting things done is they may not excite your audience.
So… we have a conundrum. What do we go for? Success, Excellence, or GTD?
How about if we combine all three.
- What if we “define” success for our particular product or project?
- What if we go for excellence and not perfection?
- What if we allow enough time for a truly remarkable project?
To help you answer this problem, author Jon Gordon has some excellent advice on the subject that is worth your consideration.
Question: How about you? Do you focus on Success, Excellence, or GTD, or do you combine all three? Please leave your comments below.
