TLDR: perfection is a trap; life is short; start now, take calculated risks, live boldly.
Life is temporary. When the time is short, the question changes: do you want perfect things, or a well-lived life?
Perfection looks noble on the surface, but it often hides fear: fear of starting, fear of judgment, fear of making a wrong move. You polish the small things—one more tweak, one more pass, one more “when I’m ready”—and suddenly, years have slipped by.
The paradox: by trying to perfect everything, you ruin the very life you’re trying to optimize. You trade experiences for edits, courage for control, time for tidiness. And later, regret arrives disguised as “I could have.”
There’s a better path:
- Start before you’re ready. Readiness is a feeling that only shows up after you begin.
- Take calculated risks.
- Focus on high-leverage moves: relationships, health, learning, meaningful work. Let the small imperfections be the price of a bigger life.
Remember: you can polish forever, but you only live once. Choose a life that, when you’re old and looking back, feels full—of attempts, adventures, and honest tries—not one that’s museum-perfect but barely lived.
Start today. Make the call. Publish the draft. Book the trip. Ask the question. Take the class. Say yes to the thing that scares you just enough.
Perfect is a horizon. Living is the path.
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