Perfectionism
I’ve recently read a biography of Steve Jobs,
co-founder of Apple and its long-time general director. One of his main
characteristics was that he was a complete perfectionist. This was of course
one of the reasons his products became very successful and iconic in IT
industry. But some of his co-workers hated it, because sometimes it complicated the process of product
development and manufacturing and
they thought he was just exaggerating. This made me think – whether
perfectionism is good or bad? Should we always aim for perfection? Here is Jon
Bowers talking about this problem.
Questions:
1. Do you agree with Jon? Is aiming for
perfection the only way we should do everything? Does lower acceptance level
could be dangerous?
2. Are you perfectionist? Or you rather
don’t bother and accept something when it’s ‘good enough’?
3. Have you ever used any of Apple’s
products? Do you think they are perfect or not? Why?
Comments
I don't consider myself perfectionist, I try to always remind myself of the final goal of what I'm doing and adjust my level of "perfectionism" according to the importance of task.
I had used iPod before the music streaming services era. It was definitely not perfect. I lacked keyboard.
I don't consider myself as a perfectionist. Sometimes it's safer to let go and accept this 'good enough' and sometimes we shouldn't. In my opinion, people should specialize and try to aim always for better in what the are good at and what they like.
I am using one of their MacBook Pro's. I made a nice deal and bought it for the full price. The operating system experience and compatibility they give me is great. However, I find their marketing style pathetic and people who follow them very often try to evangelize with crap arguments. Nevertheless, it is apparently very effective when you look at the numbers.
I don't consider myself as a perfectionist but if I really interested in some work I do it as best as I can.
I've used Apple product only once so I can't say much about it. But I don't consider Apple products perfect because they have flaws as any other electronic product.
That's interesting, beacuse in my opinion the magic of iPod was that it was really simple and intuitive device. The keyboard would take too much space for me. Also I can't find any reasonable purpose for it, but of course everyone has own preferences.
Yes, there could be something in this. After Steve Jobs passed away Apple stagnated a bit. Only recent iPhone X was a little breath of fresh air, but still it wasn't as revolutionary as Apple products used to be in Steve's era.
I must agree that I am rather a 'good-enough' person. Partially because I engage in many things and taste life's different flavours. I do different sports, try various things, travel, study, and still try to relax from time to time. I would go nuts if I wanted to be perfect in all those things.
I am a big Apple fan, but mostly for its design and looks of the products, not for the idea of "perfectionism" that lures behind it. I think they have a business model that is responsible for most of their success, one that is anchored in the idea of product superiority. They're not technically any better than other companies like Samsung or Sony when it comes to the product's features as such.
I consider myself a little perfectionist and I try to do my job as best as possible.
I've used Apple product several times, but I don't have any of their devices. I don't consider Apple products perfect.They have flaws as any other electronic product.
I'm not a perfectionist. If something is good I'm accept it. But also in various matters or projects I try to improve good things to perfection, because I know that this is a project that I will develop and I would like to help myself.
Yes I use their products. I think they are well done, but unfortunately they are very expensive. I think they have great equipment, but of course they are not perfect.
Am I perectionist? I try to be at work. I'm a developer, so all my laziness will probably return to me in the future and I will spend much more time repairing some things than do it in proper way at first time.
I'm an owner of Iphone and Macbook. Are they perfect? I wouldn't call them perfect. They are very good, I really like their simplicity. However, If you need to, they have many hidden professional tools to use by developers for example.
I consider myself perfectionist. If i like something I will do my best in order to do it. It’s just a pleasure for me.
I have been using Apple’s products for a long time and still using. I think that their products are good enough. Some years ago it was a phenomenon and they presented the whole new world of smartphones and computers but now I think they are just getting worse and worse.
I have never used Apple`s product and I think I will never use, because to my mind it doesn`t cost as much as it should and I don`t like their user oriented politics. I am not interested to much in what Apple devs are doing, but as I heard, they make updates which as a result makes old devices work slower, what makes people buy "brand new" Apple products.
I have used some Apple's products. My mother likes them. I would say that Apple's products are rather waste of money. They are giving functionality that I don't need( and I dounbt, that any of Apples users need it), and not providing me with what i really need. And they are far from perfect. Apart from good design they have lot's of bugs in last few years in all phone models and in some Pc's, but that's rather problems of software and operating systems. So yeah, Apple is not the best example for a perfect nor even good products
2. I think it depends on what I do. When I make projects or programs, I try to achieve perfection. When it comes to things that are less important and some detail does not work out, which is practically not important, I forgive .
3. Unfortunately, I didn't have the pleasure of using Apple devices because the prices are too high for value.
Well for me he is just a guy who like making all to extrime like some kind of a syndrome. In real live nobody need perfection and especially in software. It's simply not cost effective enough for business to bother.
I am for sure against perfectionism for things that don't meter that much. I think we should adapt the world for our lack perfectionism and not the other way around. Make self driving car so we can check text during the ride or some software to check sensors 10 times if its needed.
I don't use Apple products and as a programmer rather have more abilities with less stable phone then perfect experience but in small polished sandbox where I don't feel like an owner but rather as a product
2. In some areas I am. Although I do settle often for something that is good enough given specific circumstances.
3. Apple success certainly shows that Jobs approach to the developed products certainly worked out well for the company. And it is certainly necessary for companies that try do sell premium products. They must stand out and must be perfect to a little detail.
I am a perfectionist, sometimes when there is no time and the project is not that important I accept some bad solutions but its not easy to agree with that. I hold to rule that If you want something to be done , you have to do it yourself. Yes I am using iPhone for 5 years, and before Steve Jobs death I would say that Apple products was perefect, but nowadays they lower theirs quality and its not that good as it used to be.
Yes I agree with him, and he convinced me to be more perfect in my daily duty. And yes, we should endeavour to perfection in everything. Lower acceptance level could be dangerous but when the lives depend upon it, in other cases probably could be dangerous only for ourselves.
Are you perfectionist? Or you rather don’t bother and accept something when it’s ‘good enough’?
I am trying to be perfectionist but maybe not in everything. I often accept things when are only good enough.
Have you ever used any of Apple’s products? Do you think they are perfect or not? Why?
I use those products of a long of time only because of that they are almost perfect. It’s having also some imperfections but in compare to other products Apple leaves competitors in the back.
2. I'm not a perfectionist. Doing your work every day perfectly, bringing it to the end, there is still time to ideally lay out the towels on the shelf. For me, there are actions in which I adhere to the position "well enough", I do not always have time to perfectly iron the shirt and I can look "good enough" without it. To be a perfectionist in everything for me is a bust, the main thing for me is to love my work, and to fulfill it perfectly. If each of his actions to the end, regardless of the mistakes, the world will become more interconnected. So the driver of the car can monitor who is going to cross the road or whether the child is traveling somewhere close, but the pedestrian and the child must know the rules and stick to them. So by performing your task perfectly, you will help another person to accomplish his task 100%.
3. Of course, I used Apple products. I think that this product is for an amateur, there are suitable, there are those who choose another brand, and here there is no question of perfectionism.
Does lower acceptance level could be dangerous?
Mr Jon forget that perfection does not occur in real life. Everyone makes mistakes. Life is too short
to keep focusing on things that doesn't matter. He is another ((( smart guy))) that's bullying people
to reach new goals in their companies to make rich people get richer.
Have you ever used any of Apple’s products? Do you think they are perfect or not? Why?
They are perfect in stealing money from their users by making their phones unusable after updates.
The best way is to set your standards on a decent level and stick to them - it gets easier to do things better every time You're doing them. Thats why we're seeing so many "perfect/fast workers" - it's just a pattern, routine. I'm not a type of perfectionist, but I can't stand when someone can did something better, but they simply don't bother to do that.
I've an iphone 8, this is my only product from Apple - I love it. Is it perfect? As I said befere, there isn't such a thing like pefection, everybody have their own standards. Someone things that this feature is perfect, well designed and peoples love it - but I think that it could be diffrent(not neccessery better, diffrent), more fitted to me - so, is it perfect though?
I have iphone and i think it is the best phone ever. People who never used iphone or macbook will deny this fact. Why? It's pixel perfect.
No its not in fact trying to be perfect in everything you do can be a big letdown. trying to perfect everything can make your life not only harder but also worse. Your experience with everything is based on how well u think u did, trying to be perfect can hinder every experiences you have.
Im trying to learn to accept things as they come, im literally trying not to make everything perfect(as in i struggle in accepting failures and imperfections). Trust me not having to worry about everything, overthinking things and perfecting details in every aspect of your life can make it better.
But having your expectations set too low can also make your life and experiences worse. There is slim line of balance between perfection and imperfection that we should keep to not hinder our experiences.
I have never owned and apple product but ive used some. none of them are perfect, some of them make small to no sense. My biggest problem with apple products is their cost, they dont really feel worth it on top of that their closed app ecosystem is making it worse. One of the biggest pros of apple products is that while overpriced they are mostly reliable and easy to use thus their popularity.
2. I try to be a perfectionist in matters where quality is of the highest priority and it is worth it, in not critical cases I seek optimal or good enough solutions.
3. I use IPhone on a daily basis and I have to admit that it offers more simplicity and better OS performance compared to its competitors, especially when it comes to older smartphones. This doesn’t mean they are perfect, in my opinion the are a little bit overpriced.
Yes, I am. I am doing everything on 100% of my capabilities.
Yes. I am using Macbook Pro and an Iphone. They're great for me
2. I think that I am a perfectionist person and I really care to do things in correct way. I have difficulty to accept thing which are not good enough. For me it is my valuable character trait because as a programmer we should try to build the best software as we can from the beginning because a code refactor is very expensive and time consuming.
3. I have used Apple's products and even now I am writing this answer on my MacBook but I think that it is not a perfect product. I like it much but even a Apple makes a mistakes creating their products. ;)
The solution is to decide in advance how much time to give to…ironing a shirt or setting a table, or washing a car, or finishing a report.
yes, i am using the apple product and they are user friendly .
Well I think aiming for perfection is not the only way. We are humans, we make mistakes, we sometimes even like to make them. It is also our dominant way to learn new things, so making ones is inevitable. I see aiming for perfection as a good start for becoming robots, isn't it? Lower acceptance level is everywhere, take the schools as an example. You need actually 30 or 50 percent to pass your test or a whole subject, meanwhile in martial arts you need to master current level before you can move on. So no, lower acceptance level could not be dangerous.
2. Are you perfectionist? Or you rather don’t bother and accept something when it’s ‘good enough’?
I am personally quite precise about what am I doing and how I am doing it. I would call it perfectionism, but sometimes deep inside I feel uncomfortable when something I have done is not perfect. It concerns things I do for a living or things I care about, everything else which is "good enough" I accept and simply don't care.
3. Have you ever used any of Apple’s products? Do you think they are perfect or not? Why?
Yes, I have used many of Apple's products, specially laptops, music players and phones. They have obviously thousands of issues and bugs, as every device on this planet, so I don't get your question - are they perfect? Most of them is well designed and most of them works fine until Apple decides to cut you off and makes you buy a newer version of the product, but nevertheless, there is not perfect product.