Voltaire quote:

I've seen this misquoted, requoted, or paraphrased as: "Perfect is the worst enemy of Good Enough", "Perfection is the enemy of Good Enough", "Better Than Is the Enemy of Good Enough", "Better Is the Enemy of Good Enough" -- each seems to be an adaptation for a specific moral that the (mis)quoter is trying to convey.

For example "Better" rather than "Perfect" is commonly used to convey when someone wants a perceived upgrade in some manner, be it lifestyle, software, or processes. In this sense, the statement is basically "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." In some cases, this is very viable, such as when considering moving across town for a slightly better house, only to lose a lot of money in realtor's commission and closing fees. Unfortunately, in general, it's used to convey malaise and a desire to quell those who would "rock the boat".

I believe Voltaire's original point about "perfection", specifically, rather than simply "better", is that to attain a perfect thing, whatever that is, becomes infinitely more difficult as you near it. So, at some point, you have to cut your losses, and simply say -- "Good enough". This is not a justification for shoddy workmanship or laziness, for that certainly would not be, per se, "Good enough". The point is more to know when to realize that any additional effort toward improvement would result in a negligible improvement, especially in comparison to the effort required.

Posted by Famous Quotes on Saturday, November 19, 2005 @ 6:17 AM

The original quote in French is "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.", from Voltaire's Dictionnaire Philosophique (1764) Literally translated as "The best is the enemy of good.", but is more commonly cited as "The perfect is the enemy of the good."

In other words, pursuing the "best" solution may end up doing less actual good than accepting a solution that, while not perfect, is effective. One could also infer that the best makes that which is good seem to be worth less than it is.

Posted by Famous Quotes on Saturday, November 19, 2005 @ 7:17 AM

Maybe 'Better the devil you know than the devil you don't'.
The French, is maybe not commonly used, nor even considered proverbial, but fits the need to express the English saying in French.
To date I have only found'mieux vaut un demon qu'on connait qu'un ange qu'on connait pas.' The Voltaire quote is more suitable so that's that unless anyone has some other ideas?
Yun Zhong Jian

Posted by Yun zhong jian on Saturday, February 09, 2008 @ 3:01 AM

I believe that quotations are the reflection of the entire life of our great philosophers and thinkers. And they have transmissted their message through these simple, concise and attractive words. The quotations have played very important role to change the human behaviours.

Posted by Sohail Ansari Advocate on Thursday, February 28, 2008 @ 5:57 AM

Regarding "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't": Does anyone know the origin of this quotation? I can only find "English proverb" as a description, but I'm trying to find out if the origin can be traced to any individual.

Thanks.

Posted by Dennis on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 @ 3:09 PM

I believe the limits of human capacity was the warning implied in the quote. We have seen time and again when those that wish to implement utopia go to murderous lengths to achieve it at the price of life and liberty.
We also see it in those children stricken with the need for perfection (a solipcism in itself) ruin their lives in that futile pursuit. They simply cannot finish any project because it could be "improved."

Posted by Randll on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 @ 5:28 PM

My own interest in this quote (and what it means) is pragmatic. I am a physician and a researcher. I find that fellow physicians.fellow researchers, and, most importantly, patients use the promise of perfection (or the expectation of perfection) as a rationale for doing nothing, rejecting actions that would achieve beneficial but not perfect results.

I think think that when "something" is known to be better than "nothing", "perfect" is actually "bad."

And I agree that the need for perfection is often inflicted, with the worst consequences, on children (and adults trying to get a Ph.D. or M.S. or to finish a project in order to move on to the next...or perhaps to move on to a life.)

Posted by diana on Thursday, May 15, 2008 @ 7:56 PM

Well, considering that compared to "perfect", "good" is pretty execrable...

But I don't understand why perfectionism would lead to stagnation. Ceaseless zeal should get the goal achieved...

Posted by Skyknight on Monday, July 28, 2008 @ 11:11 PM

what do think of this?

Perfection is the enemy of the good.
Gustave Flaubert
French realist novelist (1821 - 1880)

A bit of plagiarism, don't you think?

Posted by Charles on Friday, August 01, 2008 @ 3:12 PM

came across this in Jim Webb's book, a time to fight. great book.

Posted by dan de arment on Thursday, August 07, 2008 @ 1:58 PM

I once read the following quote by Gen. George Patton:

"A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow."

Which is, I think, similar to Voltaire.

Posted by Mark on Saturday, August 16, 2008 @ 9:57 AM

"The perfect is the enemy of the good" when a "good" solution isn't pursued because it's not "perfect," or when nothing is attempted because perfection won't be attained.

Posted by GJ on Sunday, August 31, 2008 @ 2:18 PM

All this talk about cutting losses, not obsessing about striving for perfection, etc., surely not only misses Voltaire's real point but actually inverts it.

Voltaire meant that true excellence is threatened by the merely good, and must therefore remain hostile to it.

Posted by Neil Saunders on Tuesday, September 30, 2008 @ 12:57 PM

Business leaders often interpret the quote as good being the enemy of excellent. I think this misses Voltaire's point. Excellence is just a better form of good;not perfection which in complex systems is unattainable. Voltaire was very attuned to the meaning of words. I'm not fluent in French, but I'm sure he was able to convey the meaning as excellent instead of perfect had he wanted to do so.

Posted by Rodney Roe on Saturday, November 15, 2008 @ 8:35 AM

Perfection is a mirage. You can't reach it, and the more time you try to get to it the more time you waste. Aiming for excellent is OK, but aiming for perfection is plain bad engineering (and business) practice.

Posted by Jack on Thursday, November 27, 2008 @ 6:59 AM

As an early mentor of mine once put it: "Sometimes you have to cut a cow in half".

Posted by Wendell on Saturday, February 14, 2009 @ 8:09 PM

Voltaire's quote is an essential idea for recovering perfectionists to keep in mind. Here's another - "Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression." - Isaac Bashevis Singer. It'll always look better in your head, so...jump the chasm and embrace what you create.

Posted by Daniel on Thursday, March 19, 2009 @ 4:02 PM

I don't know what Voltaire meant, or even what he SAID.

Neil Saunders' interpretation is spot on, IFF what Voltaire said is: "The Perfect and The (merely) Good are enemies."

In my field (numismatics), there are not a few who have known more than the rest of us, but took their knowledge to the grave, for fear of publishing something --heck, ANYTHING-- Posterity might ever question. But I wonder if all Voltaire had in mind was a cost/benefit analysis?

It is possible, of course, that we ingenious and unaffected Americans have in fact IMPROVED Voltaire's meaning. (If we can agree about what Americans think he meant.)

I hope all these comments in English are not too ridiculous, to those who know French letters.

--Paul Bosco
Manhattan

Posted by Paul J. Bosco on Thursday, March 26, 2009 @ 6:50 PM

Actually, I believe Voltaire was speaking of committee work. :)

I also like JRR Tolkien's elaboration on the theme in his short story "Leaf by Niggle."
--Russ

Posted by Russ Johnson on Thursday, April 09, 2009 @ 2:18 PM

The modern description ... "paralysis by analysis"

Posted by Wally Wright on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 @ 9:41 AM

This is akin to the 80/20 rule used in data processing projects.

80% of the benefit comes from 20% of the work. That is the good.

The last 20% of benefit (the perfect) requires 4 times more work. That is the perfect.

Often people believe perfection (100% benefit) is only slightly more expensive/difficult than the good (80% benefit). That isn't true.

Posted by Doug on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 @ 9:32 PM

"Voltaire meant that true excellence is threatened by the merely good, and must therefore remain hostile to it."

No he didn't. a) You clearly know nothing about Voltaire. b) If he had meant that, he would have said that the good is the enemy of the perfect. c) It's a stupid interpretation: excellence isn't perfection, and it's mediocrity, not "the good", that is the enemy of excellence.

Posted by Marcel Kincaid on Saturday, June 27, 2009 @ 3:05 AM

Aloha,

I have never heard this quote stated in this manner by Voltaire and the supposed meaning behind the quote. I have been quoting something similar "The Good is the Enemy of the Better."

This to me means today that I have come to many points in my life were times have been Good whether by accomplishing a goal, raising children, career advancements, etc. I have in my past always rested on my laurels and stopped working toward doing better or setting new goals to achieve.

This quote has allowed me to keep challenging myself toward the better and not just settling for the good.

Mahalo, Ben

Posted by Ben Kaneaiakala on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 @ 1:20 AM

Many good comments above, when viewed through the lense of a middle manager of the 20th century.
We can look much deeper and disregard the French philosophers as plagiaristically misrepresenting a Biblical principal.
While comforting for inferiors to judge by cost analysis, it misses the mark. Do we seek to do what is easy, or what is right?
Romans 5:7, written by an ancient Jew tells us; "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die."
Christ was not persecuted because he was; a good man, a good teacher, a Heretic. Rather because he was perfect. By his own representation that one must not accept failure, he challenged the Roman and Religeous authority of the day.
For all of you middle managers looking for a quote to inspire your bosses, forget this one. For if you make excuses for mediocre work, you are the problem not the solution.
When we look at any clique in modern business, you will find the water cooler gang is not speaking poorly of the lazy and corrupt. They are bashing the achievements of those who are steadfast in doing what is right. In simple fear that they cannot measure up. Thus, they demonize the few that do.

Posted by Bob Parr on Monday, July 13, 2009 @ 4:16 PM

I have been using this quote a lot lately. As a practicing attorney with 23 years of experience, I understand the need for precision. I learned early in my career, however, that if I did not dare to make mistakes, I would not get anything done.

So I have always interpreted Voltaire to mean "Dare to make mistakes." In doing so, you may end up with a better result than had you not dared at the risk of mediocrity.

Posted by Schmave on Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 9:53 AM

This quote was introduced to me by my counselor. In his presentation to me he pointed to examples such as Jerry Falwell; people who focused on such loftiness that they forgot to regard and be vigilent in managing their own shadow(s). So loosing sense of the dark aspects of your persona makes you victim to the power they may have over you; keep your pitbull chained up or at least walk him with a muzzle. Know your shadow and take responsibility for it.

Posted by pr on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 @ 4:01 PM

Can it be interpreted as the best and the good are in constant struggle with each other? The primary desire of the best is to remain the best while the primary desire of the good is to become the best.

Posted by TC on Thursday, August 27, 2009 @ 4:51 AM

I just heard a variation of this frm my plastic surgeon regarding a reconstruction. He said better can be the enemy of good. what he was saying was to get a little bit better result you may mess up the good result you have. Think of michael jacksons nose as an extreme. If the surgeon does one thing , may need another and then another to fix that and could end up losing the "good" result you have not to mention the wear and tear on the body so gives me pause and saying makes a lot of sense this way.

Posted by jh on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 @ 10:40 PM

I first heard this quoted as "Good is the enemy of perfect." Doing research on this quote landed me on this page and discovered that the word order is reversed from what I learned, which changed the meaning for me.

"The perfect is the enemy of the good" I interpret as perfection at all costs.

"Good is the enemy of perfect" I interpret as putting reins on perfection and moving on.

After reading the thread, it seems that my word order interpretations are the opposite what others are discussing.

Maybe this why I have trouble communicating sometimes :)

Posted by Anddy on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 @ 9:02 AM

I was looking for something on the order of "Perfection can be the foe of the possible." Not sure if I evolved from Voltaire's into this phrase on my own or if someone actually voiced it.

Its meaning seems closer to that of Patton's, and to "paralysis by analysis" both of which are mentioned above.

A tendency to roadblocking perfection is a burden worth addressing for some of us.

Posted by CartaV on Thursday, October 01, 2009 @ 5:09 PM

I just used the original as stated in the topic. The context I used it in was for a 100 million dollar museum that will never be built versus a 10 million dollar that could be built. The high dollar project will be fought over, opposed and never funded. The smaller one stands a chance and could be expanded in the future. In this case the high dollar museum (the perfect) would prevent any museum (the good) from being built.

Posted by Paul C Hammond on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 @ 10:13 AM

Very interesting article. I think your interpretation is right.
As a french native however I think you mistranslate this quote. "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" means literally translated "the better is the enemy of the good".

Posted by Sebastian on Monday, November 02, 2009 @ 6:15 AM

eeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr i want some thing different 2 comment__________________!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Ayushi on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 @ 7:29 AM

Ironically, good is the enemy of excellent. Such is life.

Posted by john on Thursday, November 19, 2009 @ 10:13 PM

As a supervisor, I would drive my employees crazy if I demanded perfection, and I would drive my good employees away.

Posted by My thoughts on Saturday, December 19, 2009 @ 12:26 PM

In political / social systems 'perfect' is an unattainable utopia. 'Good' in this case is the very difficult to define (or agree on) best response to the irreducible complexities of life. Voltaire's Dr Pangloss comes to mind.

Posted by MT on Sunday, December 20, 2009 @ 4:11 AM

The perfect is the enemy of the good gives me a sound meaning. No one is perfect. It is in relative terms that we use this term.If we end up in the thinking of perfect, the world will be devoid of creativity and thinking out of the box. I am really surprised when I hear people saying they have nothing enough doing the way their forefathers were doing with out changing a single thing. I believe complaint is meaningfull when it is with all creative ways of doing things.
For now this is enough. If you want me, I will be back next.
Wogari, University professor, Ethiopian, currently proofreading my PhD DESERTATION FOR TSUBMISSION.

Posted by Wogari on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 @ 3:47 AM