This is one of those posts that applies across a number of sectors, although in this particular case, it has to do with a project that I am working on. There are many sayings in the military that carry over into civilian life or are also used in standard civilian management teaching. Two of them are, “Setting a good idea cut-off time,” and the related concept of, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.”  As anyone who has ever planned an event or put together a project knows, the closer you get to a deadline, introducing new ideas can cause everything from minor irritation to outright chaos. Yes, something can come up at the last minute, and yes, sometimes a really good idea did get overlooked, but at some point, in order to effectively plan and execute a plan (or complete a project and have time to properly edit/proof it), you have to stop adding in new ideas. I also agree that there are some forums that allow for last-minute/second changes so this rule might not apply, but in most cases, you do need to set a good idea cut-off time and be very careful about who you designate to permit additions after that. You do want someone to be able to permit additions to minimize the risk of rigidly rejecting what truly is an excellent idea when there actually is time to squeak it in.

As for the “good versus perfect” warning, that is not necessarily the same thing as, “Good enough for government work.” The core point is that while perfection is very important in certain mathematical, mechanical, scientific, and structural endeavors, many things in life can often be made better, but still be good enough at a certain stage. In this case, as I come to the end with a writing project, there is the temptation to do another revision, although in truth, the current is good and there will be future editions. Ergo, it is time to allow the good to move forward and not keep changing words, phrases, or swapping out photographs.

Let’s be real here – most of us say “Yes” at times when we want to say “No” for a variety of reasons. We’re accommodating someone because it isn’t terribly inconvenient or because there could be something beneficial in it at some point or because you are caught in a weak moment. We acquiesce at times because there can be that one person with such “puppy dog eyes”, the plea, or whatever other “guilt button” is pushed to make you feel like a total jerk if you say no. The problem can arise when saying “Yes” when you want to say “No” becomes such a habit that everyone begins to assume you will agree and makes their plans based upon the belief that you can be depended on without giving it a second thought. Worse is if you say “Yes” only because your think “they” won’t  like you any more if you say no. Therein lies the difference and while it may seem to be a subtle difference, it is important to know the difference. I’ve posted before about hating to turn people down (well, most people) and that has definitely stretched me to my limits upon occasion. (My husband and I differ on how often that happens, but it is my post, so I can say, “only occasionally” with a straight face.) For me, I can be seriously overloaded for about two months at a time and manage, but if it starts to creep beyond that, the stress level escalates exponentially and that’s when I know that I have to get back in control again. I have learned this through a difficult process and accept it as the reality that it is. I only need about a week of “breathing room” and I can go back to saying “yes” more often than perhaps I should, but not more than I can cope with. What say you, readers? Do you have a specific “straw and camel’s back” criteria or does it depend on the situation?

One of the pleasures in walking here – other than the fact that it is very flat – is the wonderful fauna and flora that I often mention in either a post or a tweet. Today was no exception, although some encounters are more enjoyable than others. There is the large flock of green parrots that lives in the general neighborhood, so that we have them fly overhead a couple of times a day and I always see them when I walk. The number that I see tends to be the only question. Today, for some reason, there were more than I could count – some flying quite low. They gathered in a couple of trees though and were so well camouflaged that I could hear them squawking away, but could see only one or two. That was fine and then as I was passing by, there was this intriguing reptile that I had seen once before. I’m not entirely sure what he is and he won’t stay still long enough for me to get a photo. He is either a really juvenile iguana or perhaps another reptile in that family. He’s too large to be a lizard unless it’s one I am just not familiar with and he is very bright green. The neighborhood flock of ibis was also poking around in a couple of the yards.

While I very much enjoyed all of the above, the snake in the grass – literally – I didn’t get such a kick out of and the two rats I saw scurrying from one clump of bushes to another, definitely not. On the other hand, perhaps the snake could make his way to where the rats were. It wasn’t a very large snake though so I don’t think he could take them. As I said, you never quite know what you will see around this place.