The Statement of 2026: 'Done is Better Than Perfect'

An annual tradition on this site and in my life has been to list New Year's Resolutions and goals. This usually meant my ADHD would take over and pile on aspiration and dreams until I was suffocating from my overwhelming ambition. My recent Life on the Balcony, nixed this routine with the promise of no official list of goals this year.

Of course, there are things I want to accomplish this year. I definitely want to better myself and continue to aspire to be the best possible husband, father, son, brother, friend, writer, and creator possible.

This year, I've decided to achieve all this with a statement that will define my year. As the title of this post spoiled: Done is better than perfect.

The purpose of this statement is designed to guide me towards achieving a few things in 2026.

'Done' Means Self-Compassion

My brain is wired for over-ambition. I come up with an article idea that, within 10 minutes, has exploded into a festival with accompanying books, podcasts, short videos, and a lemonade stand. When it inevitably unfolds that I don't have the energy or means to accomplish my hefty vision, I emotionally pound myself down with shame, guilt, and self-hatred. 

Even if I expertly weave the potholes of 'unattainable dreams', my initial mental image of a particular article or piece is often grander than what I craft or far more time-consuming than what I can manage. So, once again, I either toss it or berate myself for being an imposter and hack.

Done is better than perfect means I'm aiming for completion, not a masterpiece. I want to produce my best work that I am capable of on that day, and the spiky profile and emotional dysregulation that comes with AuDHD means some days that may mean a haiku about a fart rather than an in-depth deep dive about what Citizen Kane has to say about modern capitalism.

The win is having something completed, and if I keep on doing that, my years of writing, creativity, and imagination will connect with someone, or at the very least, give me a necessary emotional and mental outlet.

Not Aiming for 'Perfect' Means Rejection is Not Failure

I mentioned in a past Life on the Balcony that a mindset I wanted to adopt was aiming for 100 rejections. The idea is that I have no control over whether a client accepts my proposal or if an editor greenlights my pitch to become an article. I do have control over how many times I reach out with an idea and pitch. 

If I tell myself the aim is 100 rejections, then there is less pain when the inevitable comes. But if you practice that perseverance and continue to aim for the number, something joyous will seep out. You'll start getting scatterings of acceptance in the sea of rejections.

The reality is that the most successful creator will still get rejected. It doesn't mean they aren't good enough. It doesn't even mean that particular pitch is bad. It just means for that publication, and at that moment, it isn't the right fit. 

Done is better than perfect means sending out the pitch is the victory and goal.

Picking 'Done' Over 'Perfect' Is Choosing Patience

'All or nothing' is a major struggle for most ADHDers. A piece of work is either the best ever or a piece of trash. You're either the best or a complete failure. The moment you're currently living defines everything. This is a mentality that can derail a creator. When you're building an audience and career, your brain can start screaming, "You need to write something that gets a million views now!" or "If this idea doesn't lead to an instant six figures, then it failed!"

It doesn't work that way, and the creator is instantly disappointed and gutted when reality charges in.

Done is better than perfect means you put in a little bit of work every day, and celebrate consistency in whatever form you can offer over immediate results.  Focus more on the tools and habits that can lead to success rather than the current state of things.

This means less hyping what is swirling around in my mind, and more just creating and building trust with my audience. 

I would like to post something every day. I have the goal of reviewing a new release each week. The plan is a weekly podcast and newsletters. The serialized fiction is something I am excited about. But it is more important to pace myself and slowly build than expect a pop culture empire to pop up tomorrow.

Striving For 'Done' Over 'Perfect' is Working With My Brain

For the past few years, I've been carrying around a heavy sack filled with failure. I was ashamed of how much I struggled to manage a regular day, or couldn't achieve simple tasks that others mastered. I didn't understand how just figuring out what to cook or tidy up a room filled me with overwhelm. Or how a casual conversation or going to the store seemed to drain me dry.

I now know that the problem was that I was fighting my autistic and ADHD brain. I was trying to 'just focus', 'try harder', 'push through', 'stop being sensitive', and 'suck it up' when that just overwhelmed and fried my brain more. 

It led to autistic burnout, where every evening my brain suddenly vaporized, and I could hardly process the concept of a spoon, let alone accomplish a task. Even sounds and smells that once were easy to manage were causing me to wince or feel crushing pain. I tried to keep pushing on until I was a mindless zombie bumping through a hedge maze.

Done is better than perfect means it is okay to take a break, ask for help, advocate for myself, and most of all, practice a little self-compassion. I take care of myself, so I am primed to be at my very best for others, be it my family and friends or my audience waiting for my latest work or creation.

I may not have a typical list of goals for 2026, but this is the year I'll try to live. 'Done is better than perfect.'

What will be your defining statement for 2026?

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