Quality Is Meeting Spec

Seth Godin dropped a truth bomb that will challenge every perfectionist parent: Quality is not perfection. Quality means meeting spec. If you meet spec, you're done.

If you don't think the spec is good enough, make a better spec. But once you meet it? Ship it. Move on.

Perfectionism in parenting is everywhere. The birthday party has to be Pinterest-worthy. The lunch has to be Instagram-ready. The schedule has to be optimized for maximum enrichment. But Seth calls this what it is: hiding. You're not pursuing excellence. You're avoiding the vulnerability of being done.

What if you defined your spec? Tonight's bedtime routine needs to get the kids clean, calm, and in bed by 8pm. That's it. If you achieve that, you're done. You don't need to add aromatherapy and a meditation and exactly the right classical music.

Define what good enough actually looks like. Then do it. Then stop.

High standards means relentlessly improving the spec in service of your family. It doesn't mean refusing to be satisfied with anything. That's not standards - that's fear wearing a productivity costume.