Some projects, by nature, never seem to have a deadline. And with them, they are also those who never seem to end—the new website, product development, and revising process. There is no real urgency, no pressing agenda, but it is likely a necessary outcome.
While we want to do it, maybe even be doing it, and repeatedly review where we are, a common disorder in our pursuit of perfection and improvement is that it often seems unattainable. There is something we need to add or consider, new thinking to be introduced, or something closer to the ideal. This is precisely the premise of Parkinson’s Law and an extension of it—we not only fill the time available to completion, but when we have no completion date, it is potentially infinite.
Putting it off another short while may add some value, but to what extent?
If we seek to make progress and get closer to the ideal, it is imperative that we set a time to release what we have and move forward. A line in the sand helps us evaluate where we are, obtain necessary feedback, and, more importantly, gives us the impetus to commit and complete.
We all do it, but for what purpose? Forget perfection; rather, get it out there and move on.
