Working to Spec

"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good." – John Steinbeck

 

How often do thoughts of perfection, or the misguided pursuit of it, hold us back from taking action? It’s easy to let perfection become the enemy of good. The quest for perfection often turns into elaborate procrastination—a reason not to deliver, or worse, a reason never to get started.

 

Instead of chasing perfection, which is unattainable in practical terms, we should aim to define and reach "spec." Reaching spec is the goal of any practice or job; if we meet it, the job is done- and done perfectly to spec.

 

At the shop, we repair imperfect machines. They were never perfect, not even on the day they were made, and certainly not after ten years of wear and tear. A key lesson for a mechanic is not how to do perfect work, but how to work to spec- knowing when to say, "This is enough. This meets the standard." We can bill for work done to spec; we can't bill for perfect work- it’s too costly in terms of time and money.

 

Of course, the real challenge is to refine your spec over time through thoughtful, continuous improvement. By doing so, you can reach a point where you consistently produce world-class work in a timely manner. Refine it enough, and the results can almost seem perfect.

 

The same holds true in sport. We will never have the perfect race or workout, and we shouldn’t seek it out (though it’s nice, isn’t it, when the legs show up, and it feels like we’re close to achieving it?). Instead, focus on showing up and doing simple, measurable, and smart workouts. Refine the routine over time with an eye for continuous improvement, and one day, you might just find that your performance is so polished that, to the untrained eye, it appears perfect.

 

 

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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