When Good Enough is Perfect: The Power of Minimum Effort

Have you ever spent three hours on a task that should have taken 30 minutes?

Last week, I caught myself rewriting an email to a potential client for the fifth time. I was polishing and perfecting every word, adding more value, and making sure it was absolutely flawless.

Then it hit me: this email didn't need to be perfect. It just needed to be sent.

Many high achievers have been conditioned to believe everything deserves our maximum effort. But what if this approach is holding us back?

The High-Achiever's Dilemma

I see this pattern with my clients all the time. They pour the same intense energy into every task on their list—whether it's crafting a major business proposal or organising their emails.

The result? They're exhausted, overwhelmed, and ironically, less effective where it truly matters.

I’ve witnessed this at home, too. My daughter used to spend hours meticulously editing every sentence and paragraph of her university assignments. Her Herculean efforts were identical whether the assessment was worth 10% or 50% of her grade.

She struggled to do anything “halfway”.

This all-or-nothing approach might have helped us excel in certain areas of life, but as business owners, it can be our downfall.

The Case for Minimum Effective Effort

So, here’s my case for what I call minimum effective effort. This intentional effort isn't about cutting corners or lowering your standards. It's about being strategic with your energy.

It means asking: "What's the least amount of effort I need to put into this particular task to achieve the desired outcome?"

For some things, excellence matters deeply. For others, good enough is truly good enough.

Where to Apply Minimum Effective Effort

Consider these areas where "good enough" might be perfect:

• Internal processes that don't directly impact client experience
• Routine emails that don't require creative brilliance
• Social media content that doesn't need to go viral
• Administrative tasks where perfection adds no additional value
• First drafts of anything (they're called "drafts" for a reason!)

The Freedom of "Just Enough"

When you embrace minimum effective effort for appropriate tasks, you free up significant energy for the work that truly deserves your brilliance.

How to Start Practicing Minimum Effective Effort

1. Review your tasks: Which ones truly deserve your highest standards, and which ones just need to get done?

2. Set clear parameters: For "good enough" tasks, define what "good enough" actually means so you know when to stop.

The Counterintuitive Truth

Here's what might surprise you: When you practice minimum effective effort on the right tasks, your overall output improves. You accomplish more, experience less burnout, and can actually elevate the quality of work that genuinely matters.

Your Permission Slip

Consider this your official permission slip to do less—in the right areas—to decide that some things can be good enough rather than exceptional.

What's one task on your list that you could approach with minimum effective effort today?

Remember, the goal isn't to lower your standards across the board. It's to be intentional about where you invest your precious energy so you can truly shine where it matters most.