Craftsmanship, Not Perfectionism

Do you want your shoes to be comfortable, nice-looking, and long-lasting? Do you prefer a well-prepared dish at a restaurant? Do you appreciate a mobile app that works smoothly and looks polished?

Most of us do. Behind every quality product or service are people who invested significant effort in designing, testing, refining, and iterating. We notice and appreciate that work, whether it’s clothing that lasts, food that delights, or software that just works.

The Language Problem

“Perfectionist” has become the default label for anyone who cares deeply about quality. But the term carries specific meaning that often doesn’t match what’s actually happening.

In books like Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown describes perfectionism as being fundamentally about avoiding shame and judgment - a fear-based pursuit of flawlessness driven by “what will people think?” This framing emphasises anxiety, paralysis, and never feeling good enough.

But what about the artist who reworks a painting because something doesn’t feel right, not because anyone is watching? Leonardo da Vinci famously carried the Mona Lisa with him for years, continuously refining it until his death. What about the software developer who refines an interface that’s already functional but doesn’t quite feel right? What about the chef who adjusts seasoning until it’s just right, even when diners would have been satisfied with “good enough”?

These behaviors look like perfectionism from the outside with their attention to detail, multiple iterations, and high standards. But the internal motivation is entirely different.

A Different Framework

There are other terms that better describe this orientation toward quality:

Craftsmanship describes taking pride in one’s work and pursuing excellence out of respect for the craft itself, not fear of criticism.

Intrinsic excellence captures the pursuit of quality for its own sake, because good work is inherently satisfying to create.

Having high standards simply means refusing to deliver mediocrity when you’re capable of better.

These aren’t about anxiety or ego. They’re about caring: caring about the process, caring about the outcome, caring about creating something worthwhile whether it’s for personal satisfaction or for others to use and enjoy.

Why It Matters

Consider that well-designed product you use daily, or that piece of furniture that still looks beautiful after years of use, or a song where every instrument sits perfectly in the mix. Someone invested effort beyond what was strictly necessary, beyond what efficiency might dictate.

We all benefit when people approach their work this way. Quality doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when someone decides that details matter, that the extra iteration is worth it, that “good enough” isn’t actually good enough.

Language shapes how we understand ourselves and others. Labeling someone a perfectionist when they’re actually demonstrating craftsmanship misreads their motivation entirely. One suggests a problem to fix; the other describes a value to appreciate.

Not everyone who cares about doing good work is battling perfectionism. Many are simply committed to quality - not because they’re afraid of judgment, but because excellence matters to them. That’s not a flaw. That’s what makes good things possible.