Comments on: Balance fearlessness with attention to detail http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:20:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: janessafle http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-209188 janessafle Sat, 10 Oct 2009 04:05:55 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-209188 web added united reviews response web added united reviews response

]]> By: aesoburned http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-209186 aesoburned Sat, 10 Oct 2009 04:01:57 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-209186 actual number articles era study source society actual number articles era study source society

]]> By: paulocchee http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-209185 paulocchee Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:59:39 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-209185 mitigating link data globally percent alternatives future power mitigating link data globally percent alternatives future power

]]> By: Irina I http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-187167 Irina I Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:31:11 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-187167 Penelope, I just went on a binge reading of your old posts and I just cannot not admit that you're absolutely right here. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and looks like I'm going to have to actually sit down and process those thoughts (instead of surfing the Internet). Thank you for this one and the one that says that you have to<a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/07/12/4-ways-to-make-more-time/" rel="nofollow">suck it up and do priority 1 list items and not priority 8</a>, even thought they are so seductive in how easy they are. Penelope, I just went on a binge reading of your old posts and I just cannot not admit that you're absolutely right here. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and looks like I'm going to have to actually sit down and process those thoughts (instead of surfing the Internet).

Thank you for this one and the one that says that you have tosuck it up and do priority 1 list items and not priority 8, even thought they are so seductive in how easy they are.

]]> By: saad http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-181822 saad Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:16:59 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-181822 frequent visitor, first time posting. i'm really glad you note that 70% is okay IN MOST CASES. imagine receiving oral sex only 70% of the way to orgasm. awful, no? frequent visitor, first time posting. i'm really glad you note that 70% is okay IN MOST CASES. imagine receiving oral sex only 70% of the way to orgasm. awful, no?

]]> By: Shannon http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-172411 Shannon Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:33:45 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-172411 I just want to say how excited I am to read an article that mirrors my own thoughts on perfectionism. In my extreme detail oriented days, no one could beat me on perfectionism. I was also terrified of screwing up, and developed an eating disorder. I've stopped having to be right about everything, I've stopped being an awesome speller, and I'm fixing to stop working in a business that lives and dies by quarter inches (construction). It's completely contrary to my personality, and the perfectionism/forcing myself into details was killing me. And to Anshuman, if you are an engineer (especially with an MBA), you might not think of yourself as a detail-oriented person, but I guarantee you are. The people you're comparing yourself to are probably OCD level detail oriented. I work with people that I'm positive there's medication that could make them easier to communicate with. Anyway, great post. I just want to say how excited I am to read an article that mirrors my own thoughts on perfectionism. In my extreme detail oriented days, no one could beat me on perfectionism. I was also terrified of screwing up, and developed an eating disorder.

I've stopped having to be right about everything, I've stopped being an awesome speller, and I'm fixing to stop working in a business that lives and dies by quarter inches (construction). It's completely contrary to my personality, and the perfectionism/forcing myself into details was killing me.

And to Anshuman, if you are an engineer (especially with an MBA), you might not think of yourself as a detail-oriented person, but I guarantee you are. The people you're comparing yourself to are probably OCD level detail oriented. I work with people that I'm positive there's medication that could make them easier to communicate with.

Anyway, great post.

]]> By: My Blog » Blog Archive » Breaking the Perfection Habit http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-169568 My Blog » Blog Archive » Breaking the Perfection Habit Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:31:36 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-169568 [...] it or not, in most cases 70 percent perfect is fine for what we do. The trick is to balance fearlessness with attention to detail and understand when you need to concentrate on [...] [...] it or not, in most cases 70 percent perfect is fine for what we do. The trick is to balance fearlessness with attention to detail and understand when you need to concentrate on [...]

]]> By: Paula http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-126769 Paula Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:49:06 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-126769 "Detail oriented" is a common phrase on resumes, but it isn't a common trait, and that's a pity. For every big-picture, fast-action person, there needs to be at least one detail-oriented person to proofread their (sometimes brilliant) writing, remind them of their appointments, and tell them they have spinach on their teeth before they go to the press conference. Businesses, and indeed the world, need both types of people, and people who can switch from one mode to the other. "Detail oriented" is a common phrase on resumes, but it isn't a common trait, and that's a pity. For every big-picture, fast-action person, there needs to be at least one detail-oriented person to proofread their (sometimes brilliant) writing, remind them of their appointments, and tell them they have spinach on their teeth before they go to the press conference. Businesses, and indeed the world, need both types of people, and people who can switch from one mode to the other.

]]> By: Daniel http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-104795 Daniel Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:32:29 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-104795 Darren, You're right on. I think I know what Penelope was getting at, but, if anything, I find myself wishing people were more attentive to details. I mean, think about it -- inattention to detail is why your waiter gets your order wrong at Applebee's, why drivers get in avoidable wrecks, why the email at your company is ungrammatical and barely readable. I was brought up to believe that the quality of your work reflects on you as a person, and I definitely have less respect for people who are constantly half-assing their work. I would modify Penelope's statement to say that some jobs (like NASA) need to be 100% perfect, most only need to be 99% perfect, and if you're an absolute beginner, you can get by with 75% perfect. Darren,

You're right on. I think I know what Penelope was getting at, but, if anything, I find myself wishing people were more attentive to details. I mean, think about it — inattention to detail is why your waiter gets your order wrong at Applebee's, why drivers get in avoidable wrecks, why the email at your company is ungrammatical and barely readable. I was brought up to believe that the quality of your work reflects on you as a person, and I definitely have less respect for people who are constantly half-assing their work. I would modify Penelope's statement to say that some jobs (like NASA) need to be 100% perfect, most only need to be 99% perfect, and if you're an absolute beginner, you can get by with 75% perfect.

]]> By: Darren http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/comment-page-1/#comment-69419 Darren Fri, 11 May 2007 01:38:47 +0000 http://lolindrath.dyndns.org/lolindrath/wordpress/2003/04/07/balance-fearlessness-with-attention-to-detail/#comment-69419 "I associate details with perfectionism and I think perfectionism is a disease that undermines everyone who has it." I'm sorry, but this is inexcusably sloppy thinking from someone who purports to be qualified to offer career advice (to perfectionists, no less!) You need to show that you grasp the difference between attention to detail and perfectionism if you want to write intelligently on this subject. Granted, "perfectionism" as distinct from attention to detail is a real condition, and as a person who suffers from it I think some of your insights have value. (They'd have even more value without your smug and unsympathetic tone.... something tells me you're still angry at the sixth grade teacher who corrected your spelling.) Many jobs *need* to be done 99% perfectly. In my experience, 70% is very, very much the exception, not the rule. And it is not unhealthy to want to perform quality work... some people actually take pride in getting the details right, and I doubt they'll be lying on their deathbeds wishing they'd done everything as half-assed as they could get away with. "I associate details with perfectionism and I think perfectionism is a disease that undermines everyone who has it."

I'm sorry, but this is inexcusably sloppy thinking from someone who purports to be qualified to offer career advice (to perfectionists, no less!) You need to show that you grasp the difference between attention to detail and perfectionism if you want to write intelligently on this subject.

Granted, "perfectionism" as distinct from attention to detail is a real condition, and as a person who suffers from it I think some of your insights have value. (They'd have even more value without your smug and unsympathetic tone…. something tells me you're still angry at the sixth grade teacher who corrected your spelling.)

Many jobs *need* to be done 99% perfectly. In my experience, 70% is very, very much the exception, not the rule. And it is not unhealthy to want to perform quality work… some people actually take pride in getting the details right, and I doubt they'll be lying on their deathbeds wishing they'd done everything as half-assed as they could get away with.

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