Hitting "print" on a big project is often one of the hardest things for me to do. Everything else: brainstorming, asking for help, obsessively writing, re-recording a video twelve times, all come with a shrug and feelings of, "I can just do it over if it's not right." But even just saying, "I'm done," feels so final, it's terrifying.
No project is ever actually done. I could edit it to death. I could go through it fifty more times. I could start over and reassess and find a slight grammar adjustment or a better word EVERY TIME I GO THROUGH IT. The same thing is true for any art work. When are you actually done? Never.
So how do I know when to quit? Honestly, it's when I'm so tired of it, I don't care about the mistakes anymore. I run out of juice. My effort complies with the law of diminishing returns—after a while, it's just not worth it anymore. So you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. It's good enough.
My newest book, The Truth About Holy Sex: A Workbook for People who Love Jesus and Want to Love Sex is coming out soon! I hit print on the proof, so you can order it February 1st. Sign up as a site member to get access first.
Unsplash photo cred: Greg Rosenke