The best is the enemy of the good. — Voltaire

The best is the enemy of the good.

Author: Voltaire

Insight: We've all felt this tension: the paralysis that comes from waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect plan, the perfect version of ourselves. We delay starting the project because we want to nail the approach first. We don't reach out to reconnect because we're waiting until we have our lives together. We skip the decent opportunity because we're convinced a better one is coming. Meanwhile, time passes and we're left with nothing. What makes this so tricky is that perfectionism genuinely feels like ambition. It whispers that you're aiming high, being thoughtful, not settling for mediocrity. But there's a hard truth buried here: a good decision you make today almost always beats a perfect one you never make at all. The practice from an imperfect start teaches you more than endless planning. The messy conversation you have with someone matters more than the ideal one you rehearse in your head forever. The real shift is recognizing that good is not the opposite of excellence—it's often the path to it. The professional writer didn't start perfect; they started with a rough draft. The strong relationship didn't begin with flawless communication. Getting started, even badly, compounds into something genuinely good in ways that waiting never will.

Source: Questions sur l'Encyclopédie, 1770