In a world obsessed with high standards, flawless execution, and relentless optimization, Sheryl Sandberg’s quote — “Done is better than perfect” — cuts through the noise like a knife. At first glance, it may seem like a justification for mediocrity. But dig deeper, and you’ll discover it’s actually a rallying cry for progress, momentum, and creative courage.
This isn’t just about getting things done faster — it’s about choosing real-world impact over paralyzing perfectionism.
The Trap of Perfectionism
Perfectionism is often disguised as ambition. It tells you that unless your project is polished to the last pixel, it’s not ready. That if your business plan doesn’t anticipate every potential hiccup, you’re not prepared. That if your blog post isn’t eloquent enough, it shouldn’t be published.
But here’s the hard truth: Perfectionism is just fear in high heels.
Fear of judgment. Fear of failure. Fear of not being good enough.
It’s the fear that turns creators into procrastinators. Writers who endlessly tweak sentences. Designers who never ship. Entrepreneurs who keep their product in “beta” for years. The desire for perfection often leads to paralysis — what psychologists call analysis paralysis — where overthinking leads to inaction.
And in a world that rewards speed, learning, and adaptability, inaction is far more dangerous than imperfection.
Done Means You’re in the Game
“Done” isn’t the end — it’s the beginning.
When you launch a product, publish a post, pitch an idea, or press “send” on that application, you’re creating the opportunity to learn, improve, and connect. You’re stepping into the arena. And you can’t iterate on something that doesn’t exist.
Think of all the great ideas that never saw the light of day because someone was waiting to make them perfect. Meanwhile, those with “good enough” ideas who had the guts to act? They’re the ones building businesses, growing audiences, making money, and making change.
Execution trumps intention — every time.
Real-World Examples of “Done” Winning
- Software Development:
In the tech world, “ship fast and iterate” is the mantra. Giants like Facebook, Google, and Amazon didn’t wait to get everything perfect. They launched MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), gathered user feedback, and made improvements based on real-world data. Waiting for perfection means you lose market share and miss critical learning opportunities. - Creative Work:
Author Elizabeth Gilbert once said, “A finished book is better than a perfect book that doesn’t exist.” Countless creatives spend years editing a single work while others publish, connect with audiences, and grow a body of work. Your art — in any form — only serves when it’s out in the world. - Entrepreneurship:
Ask any successful entrepreneur how they started, and chances are they’ll tell you they launched before they felt “ready.” Jeff Bezos started Amazon by selling books out of his garage. Sara Blakely launched Spanx with $5,000 and no business background. They didn’t wait for perfect conditions. They got moving.
The Myth of the Perfect Plan
Perfection assumes you know everything in advance — which is impossible in today’s fast-moving world. By the time you perfect a plan, the landscape may have already shifted.
Consider this: You can spend months polishing a plan, or you can execute quickly, gather feedback, and adapt in real time.
Iteration beats speculation.
When you take action, you move from theory to reality. You replace assumptions with data. You trade opinions for outcomes. And most importantly, you build momentum.
The Psychological Weight of “Perfect”
Chasing perfection creates a mental burden that kills creativity and joy. Instead of feeling energized, you feel exhausted. Instead of being bold, you second-guess yourself. And instead of progress, you get stuck.
“Done” frees you.
It tells your brain: We’re moving forward. It lets you close the loop, take the win, and create space for the next thing. That’s how confidence builds — through completed action, not hypothetical success.
Redefining What “Done” Really Means
Let’s be clear — “done” doesn’t mean sloppy or careless. It means complete enough to deliver value, gather feedback, and create movement.
There’s a difference between excellence and perfection.
Excellence is doing your best with the resources and time you have — and knowing when it’s time to let go.
Perfection is an illusion that says nothing is ever good enough — not even you.
Choosing “done” means choosing self-trust over self-doubt. It means prioritizing impact over ego.
The Compounding Power of Completion
Every time you finish something — no matter how small — you unlock a powerful force: momentum.
One published blog post leads to five. One video leads to a series. One product launch leads to customer insights that fuel the next innovation.
Tiny completions compound into big results.
This is how consistency trumps brilliance. Because people who finish build real-world track records. They learn faster, improve quicker, and get noticed more.
The world doesn’t reward your potential — it rewards your output.
How to Embrace “Done” in Your Life
Here are a few practical ways to apply this mindset today:
- Set deadlines.
Deadlines create urgency and force decisions. No deadline? No done. - Embrace iteration.
Launch v1. Then v2. Then v3. Perfection doesn’t exist — progress does. - Use the 80/20 rule.
Ask: What’s the 20% of effort that will create 80% of the value? Do that. Ship it. - Stop polishing and publish.
That email, proposal, or post is probably good enough. Hit send. You can tweak next time. - Celebrate progress.
Finishing something — even imperfectly — is worth celebrating. Done is an achievement.
Final Thought: Progress Over Perfection
Sheryl Sandberg’s quote is more than a productivity hack — it’s a mindset shift.
It’s a permission slip to be human, to make mistakes, to create boldly and imperfectly. Because the real magic doesn’t happen when something is flawless — it happens when something is real.
When you let go of perfect, you make room for possible.
And in a world full of unfinished drafts, stalled projects, and abandoned dreams — done is a rare and powerful advantage.
So whatever you’re holding back on today — the blog, the book, the business, the bold idea — ship it. Publish it. Launch it.
Because done is better than perfect.
And it always will be.
