Good Enough

My son, beware of “good enough.”

It isn’t made of sterling stuff;

It’s something any man can do.

It marks the many from the few.

It has no merit to the eye.

It’s something any man can buy.

Its name is but a sham and bluff.

For it is never “good enough.”

With “good enough” the shirkers stop

In every factory and shop;

With “good enough” the failures rest

And lose to men who give their best;

At “good enough” the car breaks down

And men fall short of high renown.

My son, remember and be wise

In “good enough” disaster lies.

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” men stayed.

Who stops at “good enough” shall find

Success has left him far behind.

There is no “good enough” that’s short

Of what you can do and you ought.

The flaw which may escape the eye

And temporarily get by,

Shall weaken underneath the strain

And wreck the ship, or car, or train.

For this is true of men and stuff—

Only the best is “good enough.”

(Edgar Guest)