Good Enough

When “healthy-ish” is Good Enough

The headline in this month’s Bon Appetit is “healthy-ish”.  The edition is full of “delicious, comforting, home cooking that happens to be kinda good for you.”  YUM.  How refreshing.  Shouldn’t food taste good, first and foremost?  In my experience, home-cooked food, even food laden in butter, is a better alternative to anything from a jar, bag or can regardless of how healthy it may claim to be.

Someone I know thinks I spend too much time cooking. I believe that the backside of this is that I don’t spend enough time cleaning.  The truth is that I personally derive much more pleasure cooking food than cleaning it up, and if the by-product of homemade meals is a “cleanish” kitchen then I’ll take it.  You may not want to eat off my floors, but my meals taste pretty good.  Good Enough for me.

The same is true for me when it comes to workouts.  I love walking and doing yoga and pilates.  Nothing crazy hard or intense, but enough to keep me “fit’ish”. The thought of running a marathon makes me gag, but that is really not the point.  I am healthy, feel good and enjoy exercising.  Oh, and guess what, since I work out diligently I am getting both stronger and more able…. maybe even close to fit.

Nudging towards “-ish”

I think there is a lesson here for all of us, and particularly for consultants.  Sometimes an organization may benefit more by being nudged forward in an incremental way than by undergoing a massive transformation.  In other words, encouraging them to change something with a view to becoming “good enough” rather than setting unrealistic goals in an effort to become “outstanding”.

Consultants strive to deliver the best possible results. It can be difficult to recognize when “good enough” may be the answer.  However, like the transition from packaged food to healthy-ish cooking, or moving the couch potato into a low-intensity, but enjoyable activity, small changes can have lasting, transformational results.

Next time you make a recommendation stop and think whether becoming good enough just might be the best possible result.