Perfection is a moving target. Start anyway is about embracing imperfection and taking action. It’s a powerful reminder that waiting for the perfect moment is a trap. The real progress happens when you begin, even if it’s messy.
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Meaning
The core message is that you’ll never reach a final, static state of “perfection,” so the only logical thing to do is to begin your journey, flaws and all.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen so many talented people get stuck in what I call the “perfection paralysis.” They have this brilliant idea, but they keep tweaking, and researching, and planning, waiting for some magical day when everything is perfectly aligned. That day never comes. The goalposts for what “perfect” means keep shifting. The real magic, the real learning, happens in the *doing*. You start with a version 1.0 that’s maybe 70% there, and you iterate from there. That’s where the growth is.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Career (192) |
| Topics | action (112), perfectionism (24), progress (50) |
| Literary Style | direct (414) |
| Emotion / Mood | encouraging (304) |
| Overall Quote Score | 83 (302) |
Origin & Factcheck
This quote comes directly from Timothy Ferriss in his 2012 book, “The 4-Hour Chef,” which was published in the United States. You might sometimes see similar sentiments floating around, but this specific, powerful phrasing is Ferriss’s.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Timothy Ferriss (145) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The 4-Hour Chef: The Simple Path to Cooking Like a Pro, Learning Anything, and Living the Good Life (43) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Timothy Ferriss writes and builds systems that help people work less and achieve more. He broke out with The 4-Hour Workweek and followed with books on body optimization, accelerated learning, and distilled tactics from top performers. He hosts The Tim Ferriss Show, one of the most-downloaded podcasts globally, and has invested in notable technology startups. The Timothy Ferriss book list continues to influence entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals seeking leverage. He studied East Asian Studies at Princeton, founded and sold a supplement company, and actively supports psychedelic science research.
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Perfection is a moving target. Start anyway |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2012; ISBN: 978-0547884592; Last Edition: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 672 pages. |
| Where is it? | Chapter: The Wild, Approximate page 652 from 2012 edition |