Perfection is a Myth: Embrace “Better, Never Best” Instead
How a Hit Show Used Continuous Improvement for Success
When working weekdays becomes hard, you can be overwhelmed with the old routine and the elusive notion that you are just turning around in a cycle. Here’s the simple promise and powerful choice given to those who desire to change: Imagine that your every day is a mountain to be climbed and not a river bank to just flow.
The question is, how do we get there? The easiest and most practical approach can be to focus on continuous improvement. This blog post will break down this powerful principle and show you how to use it to supercharge your business (and maybe even your sleep schedule).
The “Better, Never Best” Advantage
The central idea in this philosophy is the absolute fact that there is always room for improvement. Stop being a perfectionist, it’s a grave for an entrepreneur. Therefore, “better, never best” is a motto you can follow. This mental change in perception radically changes your work ethic, the way you work, and even the way you interact with people.
The key is to continue to make small adjustments that within time produce significant effects. It’s the constant little changes, not a total turnaround. Think of your morning routine or marketing strategy — can you make them just a little bit better?
But, before supercharging your process, let’s start by creating a rock-solid foundation. The concepts we will cover are the automation of repetitive tasks, systems creation of your workflow, and the development of habits that run on autopilot. Once you get this base, you will have set the launchpad for continuous improvement.
A Real-World “Better, Never Best” Example
Imagine that you’re part of the team that’s responsible for producing “Ridiculousness,” that funny TV show that enjoys making fun of, crazy videos. You’re churning out 30 episodes a month, but it’s a mad dash. You work long hours in a day just to shoot two episodes, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, running back and forth between the two sets will make you hate the air.
But here’s the good news: even the seemingly optimized process can be improved with the “better, never best” approach. Here’s how the “Ridiculousness” crew took control of the chaos:
- Cutting the Commute: The previous morning get-togethers would initiate the tiredness of commuting(with the horrible carpool karaoke). A reasonable method was the scheduling of virtual meetings whose implementation freed up hours and preserved their sanity (not to mention their vocal cords).
- Smarter Schedule: They left behind the old practice of working non-stop for one and a half episodes and said hello to having two episode sessions in the morning and filming for two weeks instead of a one-month-long continuous shoot for the staff.
- Efficiency Explosion: The results? They went from filming two episodes a day to a whopping six! That’s a 40% reduction in their annual filming commitment — talk about freeing up time for more laughter!
- Prepping Like a Pro: Do you recall the pre-shoot prep that they probably had out in the sun? Modernized! They shortened it to just 15 minutes per episode. The pre-shoot calls were initially dragging on, from an eternity to just a focused 30 minutes.
- Content Champions: They analyzed episode timing, realizing each episode ran a tad long. By trimming just one clip per episode, they saved 10 minutes — that’s a whole lot of “ridiculousness” packed into a tighter package.
- Quality Feedback Loop: For the episodes, they created a grading system for quality, which the writers found very helpful in their works. This constant loop ensured each episode was funnier than the last.
The “Ridiculousness” crew proves this: there’s always room for improvement, even in a seemingly optimized process. By embracing “better, never best,” they transformed their filming frenzy into an efficiency extravaganza. Now that’s a show we can all get behind!
Your “Better, Never Best” Action Plan
Now that you have decided to be at the peak of your productivity, where do you start? Don’t worry because we’ve got you covered. Here’s your personal roadmap to becoming a “better, never best” machine:
Diagnose Your Deficits:
Get your pen and paper out (or your favorite note-taking app) and jot down the main points of improvement that you have in mind. You must think outside the box to cover each issue such as work productivity, health, relationships, or your desire to clock that perfect basket — the sky is the limit!
Know Your Starting Line:
How will you measure success in each situation? For example, it might be the number of e-mails you master in one day, your personal best at the morning run, or the fact that you feel more in rapport with those whom you love. Determine your key performance indicators, cause what’s tracked, can be managed (and improved!)
Build Your “Better” Machine:
Now, let’s establish automated actions and processes that encourage the growth of the positive habits essential to our lives. For instance, design a killer morning plan to stimulate your enthusiasm, diet prepping to maintain good nutrition, or have regular talks with your close peers and family.
Small Steps, Big Wins:
Think of progress, not perfection! Start with small changes that can be easily sustained. It can be getting up just 5 minutes earlier, eating one more serving of vegetables per meal, or allocating 10 minutes a day for self-improvement tasks. The gradual adjustments, when kept in the long term, can significantly contribute to the bigger outcomes.
Track Your Trek:
Go through your work regularly. Put it down in a diary, use habit-tracking apps, or have a break at the end of each month for a good self-examination session.
Fine-Tune Your Formula:
Depending on what’s yielding results and what’s not, re-design your systems! Throw away the stuff that doesn’t do you any good, put more effort into the strategies that are bringing you success, or do the trials on different styles. Don’t forget, there’s always a better option!
Celebrate Every Step:
Appraise your celebrations, irrespective of how little they may seem. So you have finally nailed your jump shot? Let yourself give up a high five! Smashed your weekly productivity goals? Get yourself the thing you’ve been eyeing. Celebrating progress keeps you motivated and on the path to becoming the “better, never best” version of you.
Now you are equipped with the tools and the attitude needed for you to accomplish the desired and small changes. So, what are you waiting for? Go out there and make your “better, never best” story a reality!
Essential Tools & Resources
Ready to supercharge your continuous improvement journey? Are you interested in harnessing the power of great digital tools? Here are the tech tools you need for personal development:
Habit Trackers:
You don’t have to rely on anyone else! Applications such as Habitica use the game to build up the habit, along with incentives and challenges. Streaks keeps it simple, letting you build chains of good habits and motivating you to stay consistent.
Project Management for You:
Trello and Asana are just as cool for your life as they are for your work. They are very effective at helping you develop clear visual timelines for small personal projects like mastering a new skill or planning a dream holiday. Point, click, and arrange your way to victory!
Time Tamers:
Do you feel like it’s catch-the-clock with you all the time? Tools like RescueTime or Toggl are utilized to track your time usage. As a result, they will uncover hidden time-wasters. Find the productive regions and regain your valuable time.
Journaling Powerhouses:
DayOne and Penzu are your digital retreats where you can reflect and track your progress. Record daily achievements, obstacles, and thoughts. Just yesterday was it, that you were at the bottom of a ladder, but now you are at the top of a hill! It is guaranteed to give you motivation!
Skill-Building Bootcamps:
Mostly, you will find on Coursera and Udemy sites numerous online courses that you can start learning literally many topics. Re-learn your career projects and deepen a new interest or just master the language you always wanted to. Knowledge is power, after all!
Mindfulness on the Go:
Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations that are very good at developing clarity of mind and focusing. By just barely inputting a few minutes a day, the mind can be four-tuned to de-stress, increase focus, and tackle goals with a peaceful and uncluttered mind.
Bonus Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment and find the tools that work best for you! There are countless apps, resources, and communities dedicated to personal growth. Embrace the exploration and personalize your “better, never best” journey.
P.S. Want an AI-powered teammate in your pocket? Beyond Time is a habit tracker that uses artificial intelligence to supercharge your time management. It not only tracks your habits but also analyzes your progress and helps you identify areas that need the most improvement. Imagine focusing your energy on the habits that will have the biggest impact on your goals. Beyond Time can help you get there!
Conclusion
Forget the finish line. The beauty of continuous learning is the process itself — a constant evolution to become the person you have always dreamt of becoming. By adhering to this approach and putting in place those strategies, you are uncovering your capability to change your life in every sphere with a series of tiny accomplishments.
Consistency is the secret weapon: never lose your grip on that. Do not wait for a massive overhaul. Initiate by either a 5-minute meditation session, a single healthy recipe added to your meal plan, or 10 focused minutes learning that new skill. These seemingly insignificant steps, strung together over time, become the building blocks of a dramatically improved you.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your tools and take that first step. Remember, the power to “better, never best” your life is already within you. This is your life, live it! celebrate the small wins, and watch yourself grow in ways you never imagined.
