Just Good Enough

When embarking on a DIY painting project, a few common questions will arise.

Should you wash walls? Should you tape edges? Should you prime? Do you really need to wait four hours between coats? Do you need to trim the second coat? Do I even need a second coat?

The answer to all of these questions: Yes or no. Many people skip some or all of these steps in their own homes and the paint job looks great. I know because I’ve skipped some of these steps, and few people would notice.

Answering no to any or all of these steps will likely still mean you have a good enough paint job, and sometimes — the basement room few people will see or the playroom that will take a beating — good enough works just fine. But should it?

The same applies professionally. Good enough works just fine for an internal email, an event flyer, or an informational sheet. But should it?

Every project includes steps that you can skip and still have a good enough outcome.

Or, to put it another way, every project includes optional steps that will elevate your project beyond good enough, elevate it to exceptional. Steps that will make your project look professional, and thereby make you look professional.