Recently, I've noticed a recurring theme in my work, whether it’s in my role as a data scientist or as a music producer. It’s something that frustrates me deeply: the obsession with perfection, which often results in nitpicking trivial details at the expense of actual progress.
Take a recent project we were working on for a client. We were demoing a data science solution, showing him the progress so far to get initial feedback. This wasn’t the final product, just a preview of what we were capable of achieving. But instead of focusing on the solution’s functionality, the client started nitpicking every minor detail—whether the table should be formatted differently or how the colours in the graph should be changed. Keep in mind, that the purpose of the demo was to validate the key features, not to polish the aesthetics. As a result, this focus on trivial matters has caused a six-month delay in the project—a setback that could’ve been avoided if the feedback had been directed toward what truly mattered.
A similar issue arose in my work as a music producer. I recently mastered a track for an artist who is preparing for his first-ever release. The initial master I provided was solid, but we ended up going through five rounds of revisions. The difference between the first and final versions? Virtually none, at least to the average listener. But the artist was so focused on minor details that, frankly, wouldn’t make any meaningful difference to the listener. This back-and-forth delayed the release by five weeks, all because of nitpicking things that were far from critical.
Both examples illustrate a broader problem: the obsession with perfecting every minor detail often leads to a massive waste of time and effort. In both cases, time that could have been spent moving forward was instead lost in endless cycles of revisions and adjustments. This pursuit of perfection, especially when it comes to non-critical details, stifles progress.
I’ve seen this, particularly in the artistic community, where many believe that their art must be flawless before it can be released. But as someone who has released numerous tracks, I’ve learned that sometimes, getting the work out there is more important than perfecting every detail. Perfection, if there is such a thing, is achieved through iterations, practice, and time—not by endlessly delaying a release.
What’s more, the person at the receiving end of all this nitpicking—whether it’s me in these examples or someone else—is bound to get frustrated. I pride myself on my patience and professionalism when addressing feedback, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating to go in circles over things that aren’t crucial. For others, this might lead to tension or conflict. At some point, someone is bound to say, "Can we focus on what matters and stop nitpicking every single thing?"
And that’s the crux of the issue: people often don’t realize how much progress is being stalled in the pursuit of perfection. The product never gets released, the track never sees the light of day, and time just slips by. It's better to release a functional product, gather feedback, and iterate later, rather than getting stuck in a never-ending loop of revisions.
The truth is, sometimes "good enough" is okay.