MAKE IT HAPPEN

THE SIMPLE NEWSLETTER - ISSUE # 011

We spend so much time pushing ourselves to "do the thing" that we rarely think about what happens next. When the work is done and the finish line is in sight, fear and perfectionism can creep in, keeping us stuck in an endless loop of tweaking and refining. In this edition, I'll share a powerful lesson on how to break free from that cycle, embrace "good enough," and confidently put your work out into the world.

ADAM'S THOUGHT

There comes a time when you've done the thing.

You know one of my favorite sayings is "Do the thing," because too many people are stuck overthinking instead of taking action. But what happens when you've already done the thing? Then what?

This can be a scary place to sit. A lot of us feel productive and energized while we're "doing the thing," even though we're really chasing the results that come after it’s done. But sometimes, there's this sneaky fear. The fear that this satisfying (and honestly, enjoyable) work you've immersed yourself in is about to end. And facing the unknown that comes next? That can freak us out.

To avoid that uncertainty, we fall into a trap. We tell ourselves, "Just one more tweak," or, "What if I added this tiny feature? Then it would be perfect." Perfectionism swoops in, convincing us to keep going—but guess what? Perfection never comes. You'll always find another thing to fix, polish, or refine.

There's a simple truth I want to share with you: Perfection is the enemy of good. If you wait for perfect, good will never even get its chance. The thing you've poured your energy into will never see the light of day. Yes, those little details you obsess over might feel crucial, but they aren’t game changers.

Take the course I’ve been working on with Tom. We've spent six months building it (technically, a whole year creating it). Sure, there’s always a landing page that could be better or an interface that could be smoother—but we'd still find "just one more improvement" after that. Instead of chasing perfection, we've decided to release it.

Is it perfect? No. But is it good? Absolutely.

It’s the same with any project you’re working on. The kitchen you remodeled might feel like it has tiny flaws, but stepping back, you’ll see it’s better than good. The presentation you’ve been preparing for your dream client? It’s ready. And while you might feel tempted to tweak it again, chances are those tweaks won’t really change the outcome.

When we avoid finishing, what we’re often avoiding is letting the world see what we’ve made. But the only way to truly know if it’s "enough" is to put it out there.

ADAM'S LESSON

If you’re stuck in that loop of endless tweaking, let's talk about how to break free. Here’s a tool I’ve learned from how big companies approach this problem. It’s called testing.

There are three simple stages to testing something you’ve created before going all-in and releasing it to the world, and they can apply to nearly anything you're working on.

1. The Alpha Test

An alpha test is your first reality check. Share your project with people you already know and trust—friends, colleagues, family. The goal? Honest feedback from folks who care enough to tell you the truth. If it’s not good, they’ll say so (without damaging the relationship). They’ll point out what you’ve missed, but it also gets you unstuck. Instead of spinning your wheels, you finally get fresh insight.

2. The Beta Test

Next comes the beta test. This step is slightly higher stakes. Now you’re sharing with a broader group, like acquaintances or mild supporters of your work. These people might not have a personal connection to you, which means their feedback is more neutral. They won’t sugarcoat things, but they’ll also forgive imperfections. This is where you test the waters with a version that’s not quite ready for the masses, but still real enough to get genuine feedback.

3. Go to Market

Finally, go for it. After you’ve tested with these groups and incorporated any necessary changes, you’re ready to release it into the world. Moving through the alpha and beta phases builds confidence, removes guesswork, and shuts down that perfectionism monster whispering, "It’s not ready yet."

By testing this way, you’ll stop procrastinating out of fear or overthinking, and you’ll give yourself the push to move forward.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

When we set out to "do the thing," it’s easy to lose sight of why we started in the first place. The big, meaningful goal you had in mind gets buried under the endless tasks and micro-projects you create along the way.

But remember this: You didn’t start this just to keep working on it forever. You started it to complete it.

Ask yourself, is what you’ve done good? If the answer is yes, then you’re ready. Do the thing. Step out into the world, and see what’s next.

Until next time,

Adam

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