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Perfectly

December 2, 2022 38 Comments

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Princess Zulimar’s father issued the challenge. To marry Zulimar, suitors must pirouette across the sea to his island palace.

Prince Perfect practiced the dizzying dance to exhaustion.

One day, kind Lady Dungeness intruded upon Perfect, sleeping on the beach. “Prince Suitable is pirouetting to the palace today,” she warned.

“Impossible! He just began practicing,” Perfect said.

“You’re ready! Go now!” Lady Dungeness encouraged.

“Not yet.” He believed his pirouettes still imperfect.

Months later, Perfect whirled to the palace.

A man greeted him, “You’re too late.”

It was King Suitable.

Perfect became light-headed. “But, I’m Perfect.”

“Indeed, you are. But Suitable succeeded.”

By Elizabeth Zahn

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. J says

    December 2, 2022 at 6:46 am

    Very instructive to decision making. Loved it.

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Maybe the 80/20 rule works? Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  2. Scott Bogart says

    December 2, 2022 at 7:14 am

    Very nice! Love the irony too. Congrats

    Scott

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Thank you Scott!

      Reply
  3. Joan Reed says

    December 2, 2022 at 7:26 am

    Perfect?

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:42 pm

      Maybe? Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  4. Albert Katz says

    December 2, 2022 at 8:24 am

    Story is perfect (not merely suitable). I loved the allegory!!

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks Albert! It was fun to write… 🙂

      Reply
  5. Laura Besley says

    December 2, 2022 at 8:36 am

    Very clever!

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks for the compliment Laura! And for commenting.

      Reply
  6. Michelle Mellon says

    December 2, 2022 at 10:09 am

    Perfect allegory–so well done!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 3, 2022 at 5:59 am

      Thank you for that Michelle!

      Reply
  7. Andrew J says

    December 2, 2022 at 10:25 am

    Love it – this story could be a great learning tool for software developers and other project related efforts

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      Interesting Andrew J. Glad you could relate!

      Reply
  8. SBC says

    December 2, 2022 at 12:08 pm

    Loved this. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder 😉

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      Aha SBC! Hadn’t thought of that…….Thank you.

      Reply
  9. Robert Burns says

    December 2, 2022 at 12:30 pm

    Excellent story, Elizabeth! Well done.

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:46 pm

      Robert… thanks for that!

      Reply
  10. Giulietta says

    December 2, 2022 at 2:15 pm

    Great life lesson! Thoroughly enjoyed the writing. Lots of fun, too.

    Reply
    • Liz Mayers says

      December 2, 2022 at 3:46 pm

      Thank you for reading Giulietta…. glad you had fun! It was much fun to write.

      Reply
  11. Erica says

    December 2, 2022 at 5:26 pm

    Love it, a delightful graphic message for those perfectionists amongst us

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 3, 2022 at 6:01 am

      Yes Erica! It’s about the balance perhaps. Thank you for reading.

      Reply
  12. Jo Ann Boone says

    December 2, 2022 at 5:33 pm

    I loved it. Of course I did, I always love what you write!!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 3, 2022 at 6:01 am

      You’re too kind Jo Ann! Appreciate it. Thanks!

      Reply
  13. Dhananjay Bapat says

    December 2, 2022 at 10:22 pm

    Surely a new fable! Fabulous!!

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 3, 2022 at 6:02 am

      Hello Dhananjay. Well that would be something! Thank you for reading.

      Reply
  14. Kristie says

    December 4, 2022 at 10:29 am

    As a recovering perfectionist, I feel both seen and attacked by this wonderful little story. I loved the whimsical feel of the story and the tension we get as readers knowing to fear for Prince Perfect even if he can’t see it himself, despite the warning. Well done!

    Reply
  15. Liz Mayers says

    December 5, 2022 at 6:57 am

    Hi Kristie. Glad this resonated with you. I really like the comment, “…I feel both seen and attacked.” So interesting. Thank you for taking the time to comment!

    Reply
  16. Bob Ellis says

    December 7, 2022 at 7:17 am

    As I always told my employees, “The perfect is the enemy of the good. If you wait until something is perfect, you will never launch.”

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 7, 2022 at 7:23 pm

      Spoken from experience ! Thank you for reading Bob!

      Reply
  17. Chetana Vaishnavi says

    December 7, 2022 at 10:43 am

    So suitable. Ha ha ha ?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 7, 2022 at 7:25 pm

      Maybe Suitable is laughing? Thanks Chetana.

      Reply
  18. DAVID HIGHAM says

    December 7, 2022 at 11:14 am

    What a very nice cautionary tale. Loved the choice of names for the characters.

    Reply
  19. Elizabeth Zahn says

    December 7, 2022 at 7:27 pm

    Hi David. Glad you like the tale and their names. Thanks for reading and commenting!

    Reply
  20. Barbara Colwell says

    December 9, 2022 at 10:49 am

    Love your storyl. Billy always said that perfect was the enemy of good. So true..

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 11, 2022 at 3:04 pm

      Thanks Barbara… Billy was wise… 🙂

      Reply
  21. Kelly Louisa Balliu says

    December 11, 2022 at 3:08 am

    A ‘must bedtime read’ for interviewers facing a dilemma. A nice modern fairytale.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Zahn says

      December 11, 2022 at 3:06 pm

      Interesting Kelly! Glad it resonated….
      Thank you for commenting.

      Reply

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