When is something finished?

As we are trying to finish Fleck and launch it to the world I keep thinking of this quote:

“I never finish a painting — I just stop working on it for a while.” — Arshile Gorky.

I was reminded of this little bit of wisdom while reading Hackers and Painters from Paul Graham. It also made me think about another subject I have been wrestling with for a while now. I think that one of the differences between real entrepreneurs and other people is that entrepreneurs never consider anything ready, complete or perfect.

It is not that we are all pessimists and perfectionists (not all of us at least) but we just know that everything can be even better. Anything and everything and always.

I wonder if this is logical and normal or if it is indeed true. Do you think the iPod is perfect? Do you think the Mona Lisa is perfect? Is there one product in the world that is perfect and finished? Can you name anything that can’t be perfected?
I don’t.

I think Steve Jobs at some point drew a line in the sand and said ‘this is it. Save all the great improvements we have for the next model and launch this version of the iPod, now!’. If you don’t seriously think that anything is ready to be improved on you might be to hesitant or reserved to become an true innovator.

I think you have to be able to question any system or product and constantly be asking yourself ‘Why should that work like this?’ or ‘IS this really the way this should work?’ and ‘That might be the way other people do it but I’m going to try it in a different way’.
And Da Vinci? He put his pencil down one day and said;

‘This is it. I’m going to stop working on it for a while…’

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