For a French philosopher, Voltaire had potential as a job search expert. In a poem among his “moral stories,” he said, “The best is the enemy of the good,” a sentiment that has been repeated in many contexts.
It’s in the Pareto principle, the 80-20 rule that tells us to put efforts into things that are likely to pay off, even if it means neglecting the long shots. If we wait for perfection before we act, we’ll be waiting a long time – or we may never act at all.
So don’t get distracted by the biggest picture and best outcome. Just get first downs. Keep moving forward in your job search. Not every play has to end in a touchdown.