How a simple idea can solve procrastination.

Starting is always hard—I’m sure you know the struggle too.
For me, it wasn’t just the initial block but also the pressure to make it perfect. That desire led to procrastination, and my newsletter was on hold for months.

Fortunately, a simple fact I’ve known for years now has started to bear fruit, and today I want to share this change in perspective with you.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

The drawing above already hints at the main point: quality follows quantity. Bold statement, you might think? Well, there are studies that back this up, and maybe it helps you rethink perfectionism.

Let me share a short story with you.
Professor David Bayles conducted an experiment. He divided his students into two groups:

• The first group was told they needed to submit their best work at the end of the semester—let’s call them the "Quality Group."

• The second was told their grade would depend on how many pots they made by the end of the semester—let’s call them the "Quantity Group."

By the end of the semester, it turned out that the "Quantity Group" produced better work overall. This experiment, known as "The Ceramics Experiment," highlights that it’s not about achieving quality but about putting in the effort regularly. Not the well-considered one-shot leads to quality, but the iteration, daily practice, and openness to learning from mistakes.

The last point, making mistakes, is especially helpful. It creates a positive feedback loop, where each iteration provides data to refine and produce a better version next time.

What I love about this—and what was actually my mental shift here—is that creating outstanding work isn’t rocket science. You just have to follow a simple recipe, and your quality dish cooks itself.

Let us name it the 3+1 recipe: 3 steps and one trait to beat perfectionism, aka procrastination.

The “3 Steps”

• Do the reps (or simply do the work).

• Share your messy stuff (how else do you get feedback if not by showing your work?).

• Reflect on the feedback and make corrections.

The “plus one”

• Trust the process and be patient.

Don't underestimate the last one. It sounds a bit woo-woo, but without the belief that you’re making progress, you’re likely to quit before seeing results. And goodness—the results come much later than you expect.

So, next time you’re paralyzed by perfectionism, hit the share button no matter how loudly your ego protests. Get the feedback, reflect, and dive into the next round—and the third, fourth, fifth, until one day, you achieve the perfection you desired from the beginning.

That’s it, thanks for reading. I hope you can take something away from this and feel motivated to share the messy stuff and delay the perfect outcome to a future that will surely come :)

Stay positive,
Basti

P.S.
I’m not happy with this first letter, and my old self would’ve found any excuse not to share it—but that’s exactly the point. I need the practice, and you can help me improve by giving feedback. Feel free to reply to this email or send me a DM with your thoughts so I can create a slightly better version next week.
Thanks ❤️