Losing  the goal of perfection has been a perfectly challenging quest for me.  I have a jewelry design and metalsmithing degree that rewarded me with a scrupulous and acutely trained eye for complex precision and visual aesthetics. Also, I am trained as a bench jeweler-which means I have spent many years making jewelry on a microscope scale & polishing scratches in metal to mirror perfection, that one can only see with a 10x loupe.  Add this to my slight perfectionist side already, and unrealistic expectations can start to take over, which is daunting and counterproductive to say the least. As you may imagine, these innate and learned traits have the potential to overflow into my business. Since my notion of perfection is amplified 10x, it takes an extra effort to set realistic and achievable goals of success. To lose the goal of perfection for me, takes conscious effort every day. Yet, it is possible-I have had to shift my thinking from what is perfect to what is wanted or needed to achieve success.

Since my business is product based, I strive for perfection in every design. Early on I found out that if I was to have every single piece of my jewelry perfect in my eyes, then it was never going to hit the market. This is where I feel it is imperative to have a deadline with realistic expectations. This is one of the most simple, yet effective things I have done for my company. I set a deadline for each task from designing, to marketing, to press outreach; otherwise, I tend to overanalyze and see flaws where no one else would.

Also, sometimes “putting the cart before the horse” is essential for getting business onto the world stage, which ties into it does not have to be perfect to get it out there. To me, this is where the most fun begins. It becomes an engaging and interactive fleet, because you learn from the response what is working and what’s not. If you properly and honestly listen to the feedback it becomes a powerful gauge of where to spend your time to achieve your goals. Your business endeavor may be right on, or it may take on an entirely different direction, hopefully still keeping true to your identity.

From there the product or services that you offer evolves and transcends into a beautiful kinetic ongoing passion that flourishes.

So it is imperative to maintain the state of mind that your initial idea may not be perfect; get it out there, then each improvement stage of your brand will bring you closer to perfection, yet be prepared, you may find that it’s not perfection you were initially seeking anyway, so relax and enjoy the journey or you may miss those perfect opportunities and experiences that could have led you to your goal of success.

“Were I to await perfection, my book would never be finished” Chinese Proverb

-Katrina Kelly
Katrina Kelly Jewelry, heartfelt sentiments
@katrinakelly

***This was Best Business Tip #86. Read the other 99 Best Business Tips.***