Perfect is just there to hold you back.
I talked to someone recently who had never dreamed of recording their ensembles, because the pressure of putting something down in that permanent of a way was too stressful. Their desire for perfection stopped them from ever recording anything at all. Meanwhile, I just finished primary recording on my seventh album with the Rockford Aces. I make no pretense that any recording I’ve made is perfect – all have things that could improve. But having them in the world brings such value – to my students, to their families, to me.
I got a lot better at making things when I stopped letting perfect stop me. I tell my students that I’ve never presented a perfect concert – not as a performer, not as a director. And I never will. I’ve never written a perfect arrangement, a perfect composition; I’ve never written a perfect essay on this site, despite 4,000 tries. My book isn’t perfect.
But the world is better because I’ve made those imperfect things. I know this. And the world will be better when you make your own imperfect works of art.
Make the recording, write the book, sing the song. Don’t wait for it to perfect, because perfect is just there to hold you back.