I first learned about this phrase “Progress Over Perfection” during the Next Generation Leader Program back in February. Throughout the three-day program, the hosts and facilitators frequently mentioned this phrase. That’s when I realized how often I push myself to aim for perfection. This leads me to two situations:

• Either I stress myself and others in pursuit of perfection.
• Or I delay progress until I find something that feels perfect.

In both cases, I end up not truly enjoying the journey.

I never imagined that one simple phrase could shift my mindset so profoundly, reminding me to stay still or even step back whenever I feel stressed or doubtful about a project. I tell myself, “Progress over perfection.” No matter the outcome, I know that the team and I have done our best.

Practicing on A Real Example

I recently worked on an assignment that required time and effort from the team. However, when we submitted our results, we were told that the assignment had been canceled due to another ongoing project that made ours irrelevant.

My first reaction was frustration:
“How could this happen? Was our work not good enough? Why did we invest so much time, only for it to be discarded? Why weren’t we informed about the parallel project earlier?”

Through another forum, I later gained some insight to see a bigger picture and understood why our assignment was canceled. But if I’m honest, the situation still lingers in my mind. I remind myself: “Progress over perfection.” Instead of dwelling on the result that project was canceled, I choose to focus on what we achieved along the way. This project gave me deeper insights into the teammates’ styles and thought processes. It also showed me how, sometimes, a competitive work environment can create distance between people who actually share a lot in common, and gave me knowledge that I can apply to my daily works today.

For my current and future projects, I try not to seek the perfect outcome. Nothing is perfect, but i know its still long way to go. Instead, I focus on enjoying the work itself. Even if I occasionally feel unsatisfied with my project, I remind myself:

• I have done my best, and so have others.
• At this moment, that’s the best possible solution.

As we move forward, we will continue learning, improving, and adapting. Instead of stressing about being perfect —whether for ourselves or others—we should simply enjoy doing our best together.

***

From my perspective, this has positively impacted my well-being.

Then, there are also many insightful articles online about the importance of progress. They emphasize how breaking larger initiatives into smaller milestones helps achieve long-term goals—reinforcing the practical impact of “progress over perfection” from performance perspective.

Also, as part of the Next Generation Program, on my assignment with Ashoka/IKEA Social Entrepreneurship.  In one of their sessions, they showed an illustration below that represent well of “progress over perfection” from my view.

Each step from 1 to 5, and every vehicle you use—whether it’s a skater, a bicycle, a scooter, or a car—can bring joy to the journey. Having smaller milestones not only makes progress clearer but also helps you see how close you are to your goal. Celebrating these small achievements along the way provides motivation to keep going.

Thank you.