Done is better than perfect [Mark Zuckerberg #QuoteNotes 7]

Here is the quote I would like to introduce this time!

"Done is better than perfect" is a slogan that means it is better to finish something first than to try to make it perfect.

It is widely known not only in business but also in daily life as a phrase that encourages people to take action first rather than being trapped by perfectionism.

Who said it

Mark Zuckerberg

What kind of person is he?

Mark Zuckerberg is an American entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Facebook (now Meta Platforms, Inc.). He was born in New York in 1984 and studied computer science at Harvard University. He launched Facebook while in college and started the service in 2004.

Characteristics and Achievements

Background as an engineer

Zuckerberg excels at programming and developed many software programs during his college years.

Vision

He places importance on "connecting people" and provided a platform through Facebook that allows people around the world to communicate.

Influence

Facebook grew rapidly and became one of the most used social media platforms in the world. Under his leadership, the company significantly increased its advertising revenue and introduced various new features.

Private life

In his private life, Zuckerberg has a wife, Priscilla Chan, and two children. He is also active in philanthropy, and he and his wife are working on social contributions in fields such as education and health through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Summary

The original phrase for the quote "Done is better than perfect" is "Done is better than perfect," but it is sometimes translated as "I think it will probably work, so let's release it."

Not limited to services, output is only valuable once it reaches the recipient.

Don't be an overthinker

Regarding this quote, I interpret it in my own way as: "Even if there are some flaws, just go ahead and deliver it to the other party, and then keep improving it while receiving feedback from them."

Learning English is exactly like that, isn't it? English is all about speaking it, so even if you aren't confident in your grammar or vocabulary, you should just try a free trial lesson of online English conversation.

After all, mastering grammar and vocabulary perfectly is nearly impossible.

(I'm saying this in a high-and-mighty way, but I have taken over 900 hours of online English lessons in total. So, this is an opinion from someone who is, for the time being, an experienced English speaker...)

In other words, it means "don't be an overthinker."

Even if you are told "don't be an overthinker" or "act before you think!"

"I know that already"

isn't that what most people would think?

But what about the quote I introduced this time?

"Done is better than perfect"

I think that when you are told this, there might be parts you don't fully grasp at first glance. However, since it's not difficult language, you can interpret it yourself immediately, and a moment of realization will come to you.

I think quotes are quotes precisely because they give you this moment of "realizing it yourself and being struck by it." It's a reconstruction of your way of thinking or perception—or to put it coolly, a paradigm shift or reframing.

Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)

"Done is better than perfect" There is a principle that supports this quote. It is the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule).

This principle is based on the observation that about 80% of results come from about 20% of causes. Specifically, the following examples can be cited.

For example,

or

That is the kind of thing I mean.

In other words, what I want to say is that 20% of the effort is enough to get an 80, but the remaining 80% of the effort is needed to go from 80 to 100 (to make it perfect)!

I often think about this while working, but isn't it true that there aren't actually many jobs that must be finished perfectly? *Of course, this depends on the industry and the nature of the work.

For example, if you are entrusted with data analysis, the only output you really need should be the results of that analysis. However, if you try to aim for perfection (100 points) by creating elaborate, easy-to-understand PowerPoint slides after calculating the results, or practicing how to explain them clearly, the release of the results will be postponed further and further.

Work that is fine at 0 should be stopped at 80. However, it seems that for many people, it has become the norm to craft things to 100, and they find it surprisingly difficult to stop at 80 and release it. (I used to be a perfectionist myself. I would elaborate on materials without even being asked, pursuing a perfection that existed only in my own mind. I was exhausted for no reason.)

Actually, it is harder to stop at 80 than it is to finish it perfectly. I think the world is full of either '(one's own version of) 100' or '50'.

I think the characteristic of this quote is that it expresses the principle that you don't need to aim for 100, but once you do it, you need enough quality to be able to release it (aiming for 80 instead of 50) in a catchy phrase.

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