Is "Done" Really Better Than Perfect?
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Done is better than perfect.”
I’m not a fan of the phrase “Done is better than perfect” There I said it!
I regularly see social media posts and blogs about the balance between perfectionism and the “just getting stuff done” mantra. Most articles are less than favourable about perfectionism, leaning towards the idea that “done is better than perfect.”
I feel the statement oversimplifies, especially for those who take pride in having high standards and craftsmanship. I think it can imply that quality doesn’t matter as much as just getting something finished, which can be frustrating if you believe that attention to detail matters.
Sure, I understand the sentiment behind it—perfectionism is a drive to hit the ever moving target you will never hit, as in reality we sometimes need to get things over the line by taking action or meeting deadlines. But the idea that getting anything out the door is better than doing it well feels dismissive to those of us who genuinely care about our craft.
As a professional photographer I want to produce the very best work for my clients.
It’s a “strive to be the best I can be“
However, It’s not at the cost of being just done and settling for a lower standard.
Or is it trying to achievieve perfection, where you have the 90/10 rule of diminishing returns, procrastination, imposter syndrome, and decision paralysis.
My point is: striving for excellence is not a weakness.
So yes, “done” is better than perfect, but striving for excellence Is much better!
When used well, striving for excellence is the superpower. It pushes us to create meaningful work. It nurtures creativity, encourages mastery, and fuels pride in what we do.
🎯 Where Did This Mindset Come From?
“Done is better than perfect” has its roots in startup culture, where speed, iterations, and MVPS (minimum viable products) are valued over polish. It’s meant to counter perfection paralysis—where you tweak something forever and never launch.
But somewhere along the way, I feel we forgot that the opposite extreme
—just throwing stuff out there—has a cost.
And nowhere is that more evident than in visual content and your brand.
📉 The Decline of Visual Standards: Are We Getting Sloppier?
While “done is better than perfect” encourages action, it is essential to recognise the probable consequences of compromising quality. There’s growing anecdotal evidence that the bar for quality visuals has dropped—especially on social media. Some causes:
- The pressure to post constantly (quantity over quality)
- DIY content culture (everyone has a phone, but not everyone has a good eye for design and composition)
- Algorithm chasing (“It doesn’t have to look good—it just needs to go viral!”)
- AI-generated images replacing real people and real experiences
- Budget cuts and burnout in marketing teams
Several studies highlight the critical role of high-quality visuals in building trust and engagement.
- Video Quality Impacts Trust: According to Wyzowl’s 2024 Video Marketing Statistics, 87% of consumers believe that video quality affects their trust in a brand. Wyzowl
- Visual Communication Enhances Business Performance: Canva’s Visual Economy Report 2024 revealed that 77% of surveyed business leaders believe that visual communication has improved their business performance. Canva
⚠️ The Real Cost of "That'll Do" Visuals
Whether it’s a LinkedIn post, your website homepage, or a product video—every image or video says something about your business. If it’s rushed, blurry, poorly lit, off-brand, or inconsistent, it’s not just unprofessional. It’s confusing.
And in marketing, confused people don’t buy.
A few photography examples where "done" is not better and I see far too often!
😢 Low quality Photography/Video
- White Balance/Temperature – Skin tones of Donald Trump? And everything else looks orange, too. Tip: Check your white balance settings. It’s probably auto (while helpful in daylight, auto doesn’t cut it in mixed lighting!). 💡
- Framing: Why do you have a lamp growing out of your head? Or are you trying to look like you’re peeking through a letterbox? Tip: Step back and give yourself some room. Check what’s behind you. 😉
- Reflections in Glasses – This may be a photographer’s thing, but I immediately try to work out what the reflection is and forget the point of the image 🤷🏽♂️ And don’t even get me started on ring light reflections. Tip: If you wear glasses, adjust the height and angle so that the ring light is not directly facing you. 👓
- Dead Eyes – Get some light in those eyes! (Photographers call them “catchlights”) Bring a little life to the image. If your eyes look like you’ve given up on life, your audience will feel it, too—connection matters. A little life in the eyes goes a long way. (But remember the previous tip about ring lights!) 🎯
- The Wrong Lens—Wide-angle lenses (typically found on camera phones) are great for landscapes but not for headshots unless you want hands the size of dinner plates or a distorted face that looks like it’s melting into the background. Tip: If you’re going to use your phone, ensure you’re not too close to the lens! Give yourself some space/distance.
- The ‘Looking Down at Me’ Video Angle – Congratulations if you’re filming from your lap—you’ve mastered the ‘condescending boss‘ look. You don’t stand on a chair and talk to people, looking down at them 2 inches from their face at an in-person networking meeting! Tip: Raise your camera, look straight ahead, and create some distance from the lens 😩
- The Fist-Under-Chin Pose: The classic ‘pondering CEO‘ look. Tip: If you do use this “pose”, turn your hand so we see the side of your hand, not the full back-of-the-hand fist of doom competing with your face 👊🏽
😢 Social Media Posts with the same Canva templates you see over and over again everywhere else.
😢 Stock images – One recent example I found on new website. Their signature image on the main landing was found on 466 other sites – Not exactly the way forward if developing a unique brand.
😢 AI – Let’s not go down the rabbit hole of AI, artistic rights, copyright and creativity – That’s worthy of a separate blog post!
Visuals should be a reflection of your standards, not your deadline.
🎯 Productivity ≠ Publishing Anything and Everything
Ok, I get it!
There is a balance between perfection and productivity. It’s not just about ticking off your to-do list or making deadlines. It’s about impact. It’s about showing up with intention, clarity, and confidence—visuals play a huge role.
Yes, we need to strike a balance between quality, action, and resources. I’m not suggesting you spend six weeks tweaking your LinkedIn banner, but neither should you slap up a half-lit selfie and hope for the best.
There’s a middle ground between “perfection paralysis” and “that’ll do.”
Productivity should have a purpose.
Visuals that are:
- Aligned with your brand message
- Crafted with care
- Cohesive across platforms
Are not a luxury. They’re a competitive advantage.
💬 Let's reframe perfectionism with striving for excellence
- Perfection slows you down and “done” speeds you up. True, but taking the time to create something meaningful and of quality. That’s being conscientious, integrity and taking care.
It leads to burnout. Remember perfectionism is an unobtainable goal, but cutting corners and having to redo things when they don’t work out well and lead to more stress. Recognise the difference between working to a diminishing return and high standards – Keeping a balance will save you time and stress in the long run.
It makes you overly critical. Striving for excellence, sharpens your eye and help you spot things others miss. In other words, it develops attention to detail.
Perfectionism is just as bad as “done”. However, striving for excellence done right, sharpens your eye. It elevates your standards. It helps you stand out. In fact, it might be the very thing that makes you memorable in a sea of “good enough.“
- It’s like they say in carpentry: “Measure twice, cut once.”
- In visual branding, we might say: “Review once more—publish once.”
More about attention to detail
Did anyone see The Apprentice, where one of the teams had to buy 5 pounds of Rhubarb, but they were a bit overweight, so Sir Alan Sugar discounted that from their results?
In another episode of The Apprentice, there was a task where one of the teams had to supply prepared potatoes to a restaurant for roasting – The restaurant was particular about the weight and size they needed – However, back in the kitchen, the team leader ignored the details and told the team just to cut them quickly and get it done – “it will be fine” – It wasn’t fine. Because they didn’t meet the required standard, the restaurant rightly didn’t pay the full amount – costing the team and leading them to lose the challenge, and the team leader was “fired.”
Another example I regularly see is social media marketing gurus who don’t even realise that the Instagram link from their website doesn’t work!
Details in the brief are important. Attention to detail matters.
Attention to detail is a superpower when you’re building a brand that needs to stand out.
📸 What This Means for Your Photos and Videos
In the world of business and brand visual content, perfectionism is chasing unattainable ideals— balancing high standards with productivity is about professionalism:
Visual branding is often your first impression. It sets the tone for everything else. High standards in photography and video mean:
- You’re intentional about how you show up
- You value consistency and cohesion
- You’re building trust through visuals that reflect your quality.
And you don’t get that by rushing to get it done.
The following findings further underscore the importance of maintaining high visual standards:
- Visuals Carry More Authority: According to Canva’s Visual Economy Report, 85% of global business leaders believe that visuals carry more authority than other methods of communication. Canva
- Brand Consistency Builds Trust: The report also emphasises that brand consistency is crucial, with more than half of the surveyed leaders struggling to make their content output aesthetically pleasing (53%) or consistent (56%). Canva
Using photography as my analogy (I'm a photographer, after all!)
✔️ Good lighting, flattering angles, and colour grading aren’t fussy details—they’re signals of professionalism
✔️ Thoughtful composition and image curation tell a story about your brand values
✔️ Investing in a visual identity that feels consistent across your website, LinkedIn, and marketing assets creates trust and familiarity
They may very well be quick and convenient and “ah, done. that will do”
But what’s the cost?
A picture says a thousand words. And if yours are saying, “Meh, that’ll do,” you might be unintentionally telling clients that attention to detail doesn’t matter to you.
🧭 Final Thoughts: Use Perfectionism as Your Compass
Your brand needs to be managed with a sense of purpose and a balance between “done” and unobtainable perfection. Striving for excellence serves as a compass. It shows you care about your craft. Your brand and your first impression.
So next time someone tells you, “Done is better than perfect,”
Smile politely—
then strive for excellence
and then go make something brilliant. 🙏🏽💯
- Your visuals matter.
- Your first impression matters.
- Your standards? They matter, too.
It doesn’t have to be perfect but it needs to be better than just “done”
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