Good Enough vs. Great

On the relationship between complex systems, consistency, and excellence.

Anyone can burn bright for a few days, weeks, months, or maybe even a year. But burning bright over the long haul requires consistency. Trying to be great all the time usually leads to illness, injury, and burnout. It also creates a lot of tension and stress.

But if you can string together a whole lot of good enough, you generally wind up with something great.

I first heard about the idea of good enough from the mid-twentieth century psychologist DW Winnicot. Among other things, Winnicot was known for his concept of the “good enough parent.” The parent who tries to be perfect all of the time burns out (and sadly, they often harm their kids along the way). The parent who is neglectful or just wants to be average generally isn’t great either. But the parent who can be repeatedly good enough — their kids tend to be the most well-adjusted and their relationships the most enduring and best.

Consistently good enough has become my personal and coaching philosophy. Striving for sustainable greatness usually means getting really good at being good enough.

I was thrilled to see it validated by Stuart McMillan, arguably one of the best coaches alive across any discipline. He’s worked with over…