Perfection

Throughout our lives, we strive for perfection in one fashion or another, but it eludes our grasp. We need to believe we can create something with enduring value. Even if it fails to bring financial reward or social acceptance, we want to produce something that will call attention to our personal accomplishments.

The universe of which we’re a part also lacks perfection. For example, time is not uniform everywhere, and we can’t even tell it here without occasional adjustments. We who are an infinitesimal part of the universe are even less perfect. We make imperfect decisions, and regret them later. All of us write things we live to regret, blunder when we speak, forget names and confuse the facts.

It would seem, therefore, that any attempt at perfection is an exercise in futility—or is it? The pursuit of perfection makes life interesting. It gives us a reason to go back to work when the money isn't good or no longer satisfies. It saves us from giving up in hopeless despair.

For the sake of sanity, however, we need to recognize some important distinctions. Perfection is an ideal state in which something needs no improvement. In reality, we’d be foolish to label any state as perfect, because we can always find room for improvement. Even if we presently overlook many flaws in such a state, we’ll eventually recognize and want to adjust them. Moreover, today’s ideal state may become irrelevant or trite as we make additional discoveries.

Mastery is the ability to produce a desired result in a way that is widely recognized as the highest standard of excellence in one's art or craft. It may be marked by wide public recognition of one's genius or documented by the completion of a specific percentage of professional criteria. The main difference is that mastery comes with a constant recognition that the ideal state is a moving target.

Similarly, craftsmanship conveys the idea of skilled competence, but it is not bound to an ideal state. An effective craftsman sets aside the quest for an ideal state as conditions warrant. That doesn't mean the drive toward an ideal state is entirely absent. A fine piece of craftsmanship may not meet every standard, but it fulfills the most important ones, and is one step closer to the ideal state.

Of these concepts, I think the most delightful and realistic is craftsmanship. It is free from pretense and allows for life-long improvement. We give our best shot with each attempt, but recognize that there is always room to improve. Craftsmanship is sublime in design and exquisite in execution, because it recognizes priorities while looking for better things to come.

As you continue to hone your craft, your work will improve. Ultimately, you’ll be able to look back and celebrate even your most rudimentary accomplishments. Regardless of the imperfections you can now spot and correct instantly, you’ll know it was a marked improvement over previous versions and another step toward the realization of your highest aspirations.