Pelican Parts Forums - The Good-Enough Life

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As a surgeon, I was taught that trying to achieve perfection is the surest way not to.

If you have finished and it is good enough, STOP. If you turn that knot a little to make it look perfect, all ***** will break loose.

Personally I (sometimes) view perfection in terms of quantum mechanics. It takes a quantum amount of effort to achieve each of several levels of "good enough." After that, Heisenberg kicks in and we can be "pretty good" but we cannot be "perfect" at the same time. So says the martini.

Charles

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlesbahn (Post 10370265)

My Martini says your Martini is very profound. It’s the question I have to answer when doing any kind of art. When to stop.
I remember watching Robert Norman Ross painting on tv. The picture looked great and I thought it was done but no, he would just keep adding schidt.
I like work where the completion is well defined.

Generally, there's a difference between a "F it. Good enough" and "That's as well as I can do. Good enough." If there is no difference, it's unlikely to be any good at all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdfifteen (Post 10370298)

My Martini says your Martini is very profound.

Methinks our Martinis are entangled. SmileWavy

I take issue with the idea (if I read it correctly) that if we all settle for good enough then society will be a better place. This would imply that there are no excellence to entertain, achieve, create, design. Maybe I'm missing something here.
IMO, inside every person is an inherent desire to be the best they can be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr (Post 10368649)

Good-enough implies that your settled. I think we all do in some ways.

THAT is the ultimate success. If you "have it all" and aren't happy then you have nothing. If you are happy being just average then you have succeeded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madcorgi (Post 10368727)

But your point is valid: all that would still have gotten him nothing had he not put in the effort.

For a change, we agree. ;)
Talent without effort or, effort without talent, will not elevate someone to elite level of whatever they want to achieve. I am the highest paid salesperson in an office of hundreds because I have spent the last 37 years always looking for ways to get better. Some is natural talent but I sucked when I got started until I honed those talents.

Quote:

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy (Post 10369060)

I was born white, male, and in a double wide, still waiting on my white privilege! The ignorance of people never ceases to amaze me.....:rolleyes:

Thank you. I would have gotten a ton of college grants if I was a black female.

This may not be popular here but I have a few quotes I like:
-I you aren't the lead dog, the view never changes.
-If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score? - Vince Lombardi
-Nothing will work unless you do. - Maya Angelou
-I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying. - Michael Jordan
and best for last
-For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (author omitted for this forum)

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldE (Post 10370177)

I am firmly in the "Good Enough" camp.
I built our house (except for the main foundation and the rough plumbing), along with a barn and a garage. None of it would make Milt do anything except shake his head, but it is warm and dry paid for and has been standing for 38 years.
I write some songs and play enough guitar to back up my voice. I play my stuff, mixed with covers at a local restaurant a couple evenings a month. I like it when folks come up to me at the end of a set and say how much they enjoyed the music. I know it isn't perfect. It even seems when I make a mistake and have a bit of a laugh over it, it makes folks appreciate the rest of the evening more.
I have known some guys who play circles around me. Some of whom will play with others but would not put themselves in front of an audience solo. Maybe they think they're not good enough. Maybe it is something else.
I am happy to share my music with folks who also seem to think it is good enough.

Best
Les

I admire this attitude. Look how much it has allowed you to achieve.

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlesbahn (Post 10370265)

LOL--I'm pretty sure a couple surgeons who operated on me were in that camp. I've got some ugly scars!

Your quantum mechanics point is also interesting, and speaks to the diminishing returns as perfection is approached. Effort goes asymptotic and perfection is never achieved.

The nice thing about getting older is you learn your limitations and hopefully become comfortable with them.

I've always love cars and wanted to learn to drive well so about 15 years ago I started racing karts and took it very serious for a few years. After a few years it clicked enough that I could run at the front in a very competitive series but I also realized I'd never be a champion. I had reached the skill level that my attention span would allow and I was OK with that.

I'm a real hands on person and like to take on projects I've never done just to become pretty good at them from home construction to some obscure auto repair and also learn why a pro is so much better at whatever it is.

I would like to think all of us become really good at something in our life whether it's sweeping floors or open heart surgery but unfortunately I think a large part of humanity goes through life not realizing what they're doing at all. Or at least they drive the highways like that.