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When we think about perfection, at first sight it looks like a great idea, something to be achieved by all means. In fact this is a curious concept, since nobody has seen something perfect, although everyone seems to have a clear idea about it. Nevertheless, let’s admit that we know the meaning of perfection, for at least we have a certain intuition about it.

Now, this concept of perfection demands or includes in itself another important criteria: whatever we make or create, in order to be perfect or almost perfect, not only has to be very well done, but also has to consume few resources as well as achieve its purpose.

Let's observe nature, its working ways are the closest notion of perfection that we can get. For example, the muscles of the human body: they are the best machines that ever existed, they consume very little energy, they may be fed almost with anything, they are able to produce a great amount of work with a minimum waste of energy, they last for many years, and fix themselves automatically!

This example shows something important: efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency is the capability to produce maximum work with minimum resources and in the fastest way, and effectiveness is the capability to produce good results accompanied by important consequences.

For this reason, to evaluate our work, closely following the natural model, we need to take into account not only the degree of refinement of what we’re doing, but we also have to evaluate how much time we’ll take to achieve a work as well as the effects it will have on us, on the people around us, and on the future. Only then can we attempt to achieve something perfect, obviously with a perfection according to our real capabilities and skills.

On the contrary, if we do not have in mind these two parameters, efficiency and effectiveness, we will soon fall into the vice (and not virtue) of "perfectionism", which is just a way to waste time and a sign of infinite vanity.