GOOD ENOUGH ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH

A poem by Edgar A. Guest

Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough

My Child, beware of “good enough,”

It isn’t made of sterling stuff.

It’s something anyone can do;

It marks the many from the few.

“Good enough” has no merit to the eye,

It’s something anyone can buy,

Its name is but a sham and bluff,

For it is never “good enough.”

The flaw which may escape the eye,

And temporarily get by.

Shall weaken underneath the strain,

And wreck the ship, the car, or plane.

With “good enough,” the car breaks down,

And one falls short of high renown.

My child, remember and be wise,

In “good enough”, disaster lies.

With “good enough,” the shirkers stop,

In every factory and shop;

With “good enough,” the failures rest,

And lose the one who gives the best.

With “good enough” have ships been wrecked,

The forward march of armies checked,

Great buildings burned and fortunes lost;

Nor can the world compute the cost

In life and money it has paid

Because at “good enough” one stayed.

Who stops at “good enough” shall find,

Success has left them far behind

For this is true of you and your stuff–

Only the best is “good enough.”

I found this poem a long time ago. I recently came across it and found it to be inspiring and worth sharing.