Perfect is the Enemy of Good: Lessons from 13 Years with ServiceNow

Good Practice Over Perfect Practice

The old aphorism “Perfect is the enemy of good,” often attributed to Voltaire, has been a guiding principle throughout my 13 years as a ServiceNow Admin, Developer, Consultant, and now Architect.

It’s a lesson I’ve had to relearn time and again—because in the real world, “best practice” doesn’t always mean “perfect practice.”

Imperfection is Human

People are at the heart of every implementation. And people are imperfect. We make mistakes, we overlook things, we learn as we go. Expecting perfection from ourselves or others creates unrealistic pressure. Allowing room for “good enough” enables trust, collaboration, and forward momentum.

The Flexibility Factor

This isn’t an argument for cutting corners or ignoring good practice. Far from it. We should always strive to deliver high-quality, sustainable solutions. But we also need to be flexible—understanding which details must be as close to perfect as possible, and which can be “good enough” without jeopardizing outcomes.

Too often, chasing perfection leads to delays, scope reductions, and even failed implementations. Flexibility ensures that projects stay on track, value gets delivered, and the organization sees meaningful transformation—not just a “perfect” configuration sitting unfinished in a backlog.

Building Momentum Matters

One of the most overlooked benefits of prioritizing “good enough” is momentum. Delivering incremental wins builds confidence with stakeholders, boosts adoption, and creates a foundation for future enhancements. When perfection is the bar, progress often stalls, and teams lose energy. But when the focus shifts to continuous improvement—getting something live, gathering feedback, and refining over time—you create a rhythm that keeps people engaged and projects moving forward. In the long run, that momentum is far more valuable than the illusion of perfection.

The Takeaway

After more than a decade in the ServiceNow space, one thing is clear: success isn’t about achieving perfection. It’s about delivering solutions that work, add value, and can evolve over time.

So while we always aim to deliver the absolute best, the wisest path is often a practical one: make the small things “good enough” so the big things can be as close to perfect as possible.