How interesting to read this from both of you. I'm working on an article that addresses this, at least somewhat. The working title is, "Perfection, the enemy of the good."

One of the struggles I've had for a long time is finding the balance here. "The good" soon becomes the "good enough" and then, too often, the enemy of doing better or finding ways to improve toward that unattainable perfection that remains (for me anyway), nevertheless, the goal.

So far, I tend to insist on the side of perfection for the core things like integrity and congruence. Those simply don't bend.

Self responsibility is right there at the top too, though I am being forced by age and situation to look hard at my decisions to make sure my self reliance isn't only pride and stubbornness. I am responsible for myself, in the end, but that shouldn't prevent me from gratefully accepting freely offered help when I need it and as I have always given it.

Much farther down the list are things like politics. The challenge for me is to keep them sorted out and compromise only where I must in order to stay in the fight for that perfect goal.