Good, Fast, Cheap? Pick 2!

This topic came from a good friend. It's kind of a "duh" in a way but for a perfectionist (like most creatives) it's a necessary mantra.

"Everyone wants good, fast and cheap.  In the real world, you can have 2 of those.  You can't have it all.  I know it's not fair.  HOWEVER....."

Most of the time, "good and fast" works well - but it won't be cheap.

Sometimes "good and cheap" works well - but it won't be fast.

Rarely, "cheap and fast" can happen - but it won't be good.

Apply to your world.  In business, fast food, relationships, so many areas, we need to redefine our terms a bit.

For us and our fellow creatives, it should serve to clarify the flowchart of working with a customer - a compromise of sorts - where everyone gets something, not everything.

And that can be good enough for most - especially when the almighty dollar (budget) is ever-present in the room.

"X" will get you a stage show.  It won't get you Cirque.  That costs "XXXXX"

"X" will get you multiple performers.  It won't get you multiple A-listers.

"X" will increase productivity, and we'll deliver "X" speed.

"X" is all the time we have at the event.  The Mona Lisa took 4 years.

This is not to say that we shouldn't all want to "raise our own bar."  As a stilt walker, I've enjoyed being able to do more and more, grow taller, make balloons, etc.  However, each of these skills is hard-earned, has value and shouldn't be given away.  Apples-to-apples.  

As a mime, I've enjoyed working large crowds and moving around but every interaction is not going to have the same "wow" factor - some folks won't get it and others won't have a sense of humor.

It's another delicate balance between humble and ego, between service and exploiting, between cost of quality and cost of living.  

How can this formula help you?