As a journalist, I used to love pressing the send button on a story. Even though I knew it could probably be better, even though I knew the sub-editors would find ways to improve it, even though I always aspired to more research and sharper insights—I pressed send. Because I knew one thing: better done than not done.

Finished is better than perfect for most of us (except pilots – you can please continue being perfectionists)

Perfectionism is a trap. It stops you from making progress, and it stops your ideas from making an impact. Of course, no book is perfect. Brilliant yes. I want that for you. But every author could tweak and polish forever (and most do).

The people who finish? They’re the ones who win.

Perfectionism makes you focus on yourself—how your book reflects on you. But finishing shifts the focus to your reader. Your book is about serving the people who need your expertise.

So, ask yourself: would you rather your book sit unfinished, helping no one? Or would you rather press send on a brilliant (but not perfect) book that could change your readers’ lives?