Do You Know When Enough is Enough?
Perfection doesn’t exist. It’s an illusion, like unicorns or the idea that you can eat just one slice of pizza.
Let’s talk about progress over perfection
I had a chat recently with a client who was in full-blown panic mode. The kind where you're obsessing over whether the blue you’ve chosen is the right blue, and if your logo should be just a touch more... something. You know, the kind of existential crisis where you spend three hours agonizing over a font and convince yourself this decision is all that stands between you and utter business ruin.
Honestly, it was like watching someone try to pick the perfect apple from an orchard, only to end up convinced all the apples are terrible, and maybe you should just stick to oranges.
But here’s the thing: Perfection doesn’t exist. It’s an illusion, like unicorns or the idea that you can eat just one slice of pizza. In branding, there’s no such thing as getting it 100% right, and that’s actually quite wonderful news. You don’t have to stress about the exact shade of chartreuse (which, by the way, is a color I’m still not convinced actually exists). Instead, you just need to focus on the foundation of your brand—the core of what you’re about.
Once you’ve got that nailed down, here’s the magic bit: you let it out into the world. Terrifying, I know. But brands are living, breathing things—they grow, they shift, they adapt, much like how you’ll inevitably rethink your wardrobe choices ten years from now. And that’s okay.
The Truth About Branding
Think of it like this: You wouldn’t buy a house and then never change a single thing about it, right? Maybe you’ll replace the carpet (because who still has carpet these days?) or finally paint over that terrifying shade of mustard yellow the previous owner thought was a good idea. Brands are like that. They’re not set in stone. And the best brands? They evolve.
I mean, just look at Apple. The company, not the fruit. When they first started, they had this fantastically quirky rainbow logo. Today? It’s sleek, minimal, and just a little bit intimidating, like the cool kid at school who always seems to know more than you do.
And that’s the point. Apple didn’t get it right from day one. But they got the core 🤦🏻♂️ of their brand right. Then they let the rest evolve.
Progress Over Perfection
So, what do you actually need to focus on when building your brand? Forget about trying to make every last detail flawless. Instead, focus on what your brand stands for. What’s the feeling you want people to get when they encounter it? What action do you want them to take? Do you want them to feel inspired, reassured, maybe even a little bit entertained?
Once you’ve got that figured out, launch it into the world. Yes, it will be terrifying. You will hit the ‘publish’ button with all the confidence of someone trying to parallel park in front of a crowded café. But here’s the thing—real people will engage with your brand, and they’ll give you feedback, sometimes even unintentionally. And that feedback? That’s the gold. That’s what will help your brand grow and get better.
Your Brand Isn’t a Museum Piece
So if you’ve been holding back, waiting for your brand to reach some mythical state of flawlessness, let me save you the trouble: it won’t. It can’t. It’s not supposed to. You’re aiming for enough. Enough to get it out there and let it stretch its legs a little. Enough to start the conversation with your audience.
It’s like trying to raise a puppy—you can train it as much as you like, but it’s still going to do something unexpected 💩. And that’s okay. Brands are like that too. You shape them, you guide them, but they’ll still grow and change in ways you couldn’t predict.
So, plant the seed, watch it grow, and remember: you’re aiming for “good enough,” not “museum exhibit.”
Takeaways:
Perfection is a myth—your brand is never going to be just right.
Focus on your brand’s core message and intention; let the details evolve over time.
Real people will interact with your brand, and that’s where the magic happens.
Cheers!
Brad
