“Perfection is the enemy of progress.” Those words, spoken by Winston Churchill, are as important in 2022 than ever before.

We have all been in a situation where we have had to take a step back, pause and evaluate how to proceed on a project. I usually find myself asking these questions when evaluating my own work as a content writer:

“What if I changed this verb?”

“Does this sentence really convey what I need it to?”

“Is this the data point that I need?”

These thoughts, while necessary depending on where I may stand in my process, can also be a hinderance.

When I start a time-intensive project I can sometimes struggle with where to begin, when all I really need to do is put (virtual) pen to paper and begin writing or ask a quick clarifying question.

In today’s fast-paced, highly public world, organizations can also be caught in a “paralysis of analysis” when it comes to the content (be it blogs, social media, press releases, etc.) they publish. It’s easy to understand why: a ceaseless news cycle and occasionally hostile social media landscape can put a magnifying glass on mistakes and generalities mean that the big picture or intention can be missed.

At some point, however, the wargaming must cease and direct action must start. Striving for perfection is admirable but remember that “perfect” is entirely subjective and varies based on someone’s lived experiences, understanding or expectations. For example, a colleague may recognize the reference I make to Sun Tzu’s Art of War in a headline, another may not.

At the end of the day, there may be a substitute for a quote, but there is no substitute for timeliness. Starting on your content journey, and continuing to build on it, is more memorable than a single headline will ever be.

One of my professional goals in 2022 is to work to defeat occasional writer’s block. More often than not, that means I need to stop overthinking and start writing. At the end of the day, I can always edit and refine what I wrote. Considering that a blank page is the alternative, I’ll take the progress.

Is your organization looking to gain traction with a major announcement or develop a larger share of voice? Leave the details to the LaunchTech team so you can truly begin making lasting progress.