I’ve been struggling this week–make that this year–to get my videos done so that I can finally launch my website. These are the free-gift training videos that I send out to anyone who signs up on my website. My credit card receipt tells me that I actually started in November when I bought a video-editing program. Let’s just say that it is taking awhile, and as any working mom knows, some projects have a tendency to drag on.
First I created outlines to organize my thoughts. Then I spent several nights creating a home studio, trying out different backgrounds. Then I learned how to add cool things like text boxes to the videos. Then I decided that I wanted the sound to be from an external microphone. Then I thought it would look better if I recorded the videos against a green screen (think weatherman) with a camcorder. YIKES! Talk about a lot of time! Not to mention the numerous versions of a powerpoint that I created that I didn’t even use!
Well this week I have been fighting the technology gods. I decided to record them one more time, and thought I had it all down. Needless to say, I have run into so many more issues than I anticipated. I can totally see why people hire professional videographers to make these videos. But since I am just starting out, I want to do them on my own. And I can’t really afford a videographer.
Anyway, what I realized today is–that’s it. Good is good enough. The videos don’t have to perfect. At a certain point, the search for perfection is keeping me from getting closer to it because I’m not moving forward in a meaningful way.
Will people notice that the sound on my videos isn’t t.v. quality? Maybe. But will that detract in a serious way from the super-cool information I deliver? Probably not. And if I keep doing the videos again and again, everyone will be prevented from getting the information because the videos will never go out.
So here are my 3 tips to know you should stop because sometimes good is good enough:
1. The Details Have Become More Important Than The Goal
The devil is in the details is what they always say. Now does that mean that the details are hardest, or most important to watch out for? I don’t know. But what I do know is that if perfecting details has become more important than the ultimate goal, then it is probably time to move on.
I can hear you crying “Wait! Isn’t excellence important?” (or is that just me?) Yes, of course it is! But as Danielle Laporte said, every masterpiece could have been better. Even masters have to know when to stop. If DaVinci spent his whole life perfecting his paintings, then would the world have ever seen them? If Darwin waited until he knew everything about evolution to share his theory, would he have published his book? The point is that you have to give it your best shot. And then, look at your ultimate goal. If your goal is to share something with the world, then at some point you’ve just got to put it out there.
2. Something Bigger is Next
This relates to point number one. What is your ultimate goal? Is this project just one of many parts to accomplishing that goal? If so, then it is in your best interest to keep your focus on the bigger goal. What do they say? Don’t miss the forest for the tress.
If the things you are perfecting are important, you can always keep working on them. NEXT TIME! Don’t get permanently stuck on details that don’t matter as much as the ultimate result. And don’t feel guilty thinking you could have done better. Choose forward movement!
3. You Have Given it Your Current Best
If you look at where you were when you started, and where you are now, can you say you’ve given it your best? Our knowledge is always increasing. So you don’t want to say, have I done the very best that I could if I spent another 100 hours studying video editing? No. Instead, look at where you were when you started the project. Did you learn new skills? Did you make progress? Is your last attempt 5 – 10 times better than your first? If so, you’ve probably given it your current best. Again, that’s not to say that next year a similar project won’t look 10 times better. It probably will! But you can’t live your life today based on the skills you hope to have in a year. So if you have learned something, have given it your current best, then press the save button and move on.
