Hey Reader,
You know that feeling when you’re this close to getting something done, and suddenly, everything needs one more tweak?
You’re not alone.
Many high-performing leaders fall into the trap of thinking that more effort equals more success.
And people fail to achieve certain goals because they keep obsessing over an excellent finish.
In today’s issue, we’ll explore why the 80/20 rule is key to staying ahead, relevant, and unstoppable.
🗯️ Your genius idea can get lost in perfection
Let’s talk about Howard Hughes, the billionaire industrialist, filmmaker, and aviation pioneer.
The Spruce Goose, officially known as the H-4 Hercules, was a massive flying boat that was supposed to revolutionize air travel.
But instead of launching it when it was functional, Hughes kept tweaking.
He obsessed over every detail, from the wing design to the paint finish.
Years passed, millions were spent, and by the time the plane finally flew in 1947, it was already obsolete.
After its only flight on November 2, 1947, the aircraft never entered full production or operational use.
The project was considered a failure in terms of practical application, and the plane was stored in a hangar for many years.
Hughes’s perfectionism turned a groundbreaking idea into a cautionary tale.
🧠 The trap of “Just one more thing”
You’re probably wasting time on some things that don’t matter.
An important strategy, product launch, or decision is in the pipeline.
80% of the plan comes together relatively well and is ready to go.
Honestly, it’s good enough to move forward.
But all of a sudden, you need to make some changes.
Another tomorrow, another next week, next month, and before you know it, the tweaks become less about improving and more about avoiding.
Avoiding judgment, failure, or being seen as incompetent.
Until you either lose momentum or realize too much time has passed to make a relevant decision.
Now you’ve become more hesitant to take action, struggling to keep up with the speed of change.
And wondering why you’re not the kick-ass performer you used to be.
Perfection is the enemy of execution.
That last 20% of effort rarely adds value compared to the time it takes from you.
You’re wasting energy refining things no one else may even notice.
So if you’re 80% ready, give it a shot and don’t dwell on perfecting the final 20%.
❤️ The unfair advantage of “good enough”
The key to extraordinary results is to ship before you’re truly ready.
When you embrace an 80/20 mindset, you free yourself to focus on impact.
You realize feedback creates clarity, and clarity leads to better decisions.
By acting at 80% ready, you get real-world data faster.
You learn what works and what doesn’t.
You adapt, iterate, and improve based on actual results, not the scenarios you paint in your head.
You trust your ability to improve over the need to get it perfect the first time.
You’re building resilience, acting even when you’re unsure.
You’re not burning out trying to be flawless.
You’re winning by being first, by iterating in public, and refining based on real feedback.
Training yourself to take bold steps even when you don’t have all the answers.
That’s how you become unstoppable and unfuckwithable.
🤲 How to act at 80% without losing your edge
Taking action when you’re not ready can be scary.
It’s natural.
But the world won’t wait for you to be ready.
So here are 3 strategies to help you act faster, adapt quicker, and stay ahead of change:
- Adopt the “pre-mortem” pause. Before you make hard decisions, ask: What’s the worst-case scenario if I release this now?Can I live with that outcome? If the answer is yes, do it. Don’t try to avoid failure (it’s not a guarantee), calculate the risk, and account for potential downsides. That’s where risk tolerance comes in.
- Use the one stakeholder rule. Stop trying to please everyone. Just get clear on the single most critical stakeholder for any project. It can be your customer, board, or team. Focus solely on delivering value to this specific group. This cuts decision-making time in half, plus your energy is directed where it matters most.
- Create a stop rule: For high-stakes decisions or projects, create a clear metric for when you’ll stop making changes. Like after you receive feedback from three key stakeholders, or achieve 80% alignment with your long-term vision. Once that metric is met, you move forward — no exceptions.
🎯 Progress over perfection
What story are you telling yourself about why you can’t move faster?
And more importantly, what’s the cost of staying stuck in that story?
Every moment you wait to act is a moment someone else is seizing.
You’ve built your success on bold decisions, calculated risks, and relentless execution.
Now, it’s time to trust yourself enough to do it again without overthinking the perfection.
As George S. Patton once said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week.”
Go ahead with that plan.
With appreciation,
Huw
P.S: Struggling with perfection? I’ve been there too, and I overcame it by building the mental toughness to “fuck around and find out.” I’m launching a mastermind to help elite performers become unfuckwithable and unstoppable. Feel free to reply to this email, and I’ll walk you through the details.
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Huw Edwards
Founder & CEO, h3.xyz
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