The Perfectionist Trap in Sustainable Packaging (And How To Squash It FOREVER)

Many of you have been a part of building multi million dollar brands. 

You understand that perfection is the enemy of progress and that sitting on the sidelines waiting for the "perfect" solution means missing opportunities to grow your company.

But when it comes to sustainable packaging, that executive level thinking will be tested again.

In this post, I want to prepare you in advance on how to handle what I called “The Perfectionist Trap” as it relates to sustainable packaging.

Keep Your Singular Mission Clear

Before we dive into the obstacles, let's be clear on your goal with sustainable packaging: To make the best possible decision on behalf of the planet.

That's it.

Not to satisfy critics, not to achieve an unachievable perfection, not even to please sustainable packaging experts who know far more than you do -- but to make the best possible decisions that protect our planet.

Yes, we can add additional benchmarks we want to achieve like being affordable and being currently available, but I want to keep this simple and make a different point in this post.

I don’t want you to get sidetracked by the “Three Judges” you are likely to face.

The Three Judges

Now that you are clear on the goal, let’s discuss the three sources of judgment you might face. 

If you are not careful, these three can slow down even the most seasoned executives from going sustainable. Especially if this is your first time investigating sustainable packaging in a serious way.

1. The Ivory Tower Perfectionists: They’re unhappy with whatever sustainable packaging solution you choose.

You don't live to please them. You can't please them. It's impossible to please them. Don't try.

You can appreciate them, learn from them, listen to them, and get feedback from them. But you don't live by them. 

They mean well, but they can't get out of their own way. They'll attack you and you'll never please them. 

They're just talking and debating and criticizing, largely living in fear. They are actually mostly nice people at heart, but they are fear based. They're afraid that what you're doing is going to hurt the planet. 

What they don't realize is that every package has a negative impact of some kind. 

So they're afraid of everything - they only look at the negative impact and will point out the negative you are doing with any package you choose. 

They're looking for something completely safe, with completely zero impact, which doesn't exist. So they're always going to be in fear and never satisfied.

Love them, acknowledge one when you see one, and move on. Don’t let them stop you from executing.

2. The One Camp Enthusiaat: They belong to a certain camp such as pro-plastic or even plastic free, and if you aren’t in that camp, they are going to disagree or even attack you.

They may be hired to do so or they may genuinely believe deeply in their camp.

Either way, the talk track is "You're bad because you chose this. You should've chosen this. Check out this 250 page report I’ve attached proving I am right and you are wrong. How could you ever be so foolish to make the decision you did?" 

Sometimes they are right, but often they are not.

Again, your goal is to make the best available decisions on behalf of the planet -- not to please these people.

These people should not be taken too seriously unless they bring up valid points that can help you make better decisions at which point, you should be appreciative and figure out who else you need on your team to make better decisions going forward.

3. Your Inner Perfectionist: You know that voice in your head.

"Am I doing the right thing? Did I make the right decision? This sustainable packaging solution does have some negative impacts, should I be concerned? Is there something else out there that is better that I was unable to find in my search for the best suppliers? Are my peers going to be upset with me for making this decision?”

The best way to overcome this form of judgment is to compare it to what you're currently using. 

That has imperfections too. 

You're not going from a perfect solution to a sustainable option with flaws. 

If what you have was perfect, it’s unlikely you’d be searching, right?

Remember that any sustainable packaging solution you choose has a negative impacts if you look long enough or look from a certain angle.

You're going from an imperfect thing with flaws to something with fewer flaws.

The Difference Between Judgment vs. Constructive Criticism

We must recognize that there is a difference between constructive criticism and sitting in judgment. I’m certainly not against constructive criticism. 

Constructive criticism says: "Here's how I think you could have done better, even keeping your constraints and the reality of your situation. I would have chosen this. I appreciate where you are coming from and the challenges you are facing, I know this isn’t easy and there are always trade offs. I see why you made that decision, but there was a better decision in my opinion. Whether I agree or disagree, I respect you and thanks for caring to protect the planet. You are not my enemy, but rather, we are on the same team and I want to help you do better by giving some suggestions. Take it or leave it and all my best to you!”

Judgment says: "You're horrible and you should be ashamed of the decision you made" and offers nothing practical to help you improve. 

Judgement attacks and demeans whereas constructive criticism coaches and uplifts.

Which do you see more of today in the world of sustainable packaging?

Embracing “Progress Not Perfection”

Here's what you already know: Perfectionism kills progress. Rather than making steady progress, you remain stuck.

I’ve repeatedly used the line “Progress, not perfection” from the early days of my podcast in 2020, because I felt it was extremely important to keep this top of mind.

"Progress not perfection" isn't just a tagline -- it's a strategic mindset that gives you the confidence to take action and make progress in your business.

You don't need perfection to get meaningful benefits for the planet. Make progress. Take action. Take some gains. Reap some rewards.

You can confidently say:

‍"I'm embodying progress, not perfection. No option is perfect. I chose this solution because of these specific environmental benefits. I chose this because this environmental problem was important to me, and I deemed this was an imperfect but better solution than what we had before. What solution is perfect? Can you show me one? And who decides what is perfect? Therefore, I'm not going to let the subjective judgment of others stop me from making progress that's better than what I was using. I'm happy with the decision we've made. And if something better comes across my desk, I’m open to considering it next time I review our packaging."

That's a position of strength and people who “get it” will support you and even defend you.

Anyone who has been around the block a few times will usually understand the challenges you are facing and appreciate your good faith efforts to protect the planet.

Your Action Framework

You didn't get to where you are by waiting for perfect solutions. You got there by:

- Making the best decision with available information

- Moving fast and iterating

- Focusing on impact over perfectionism

This same mindset is your secret weapon in sustainable packaging.

There is no perfect sustainable packaging solution. 

Every material has trade-offs. Every solution has limitations. Every choice involves compromises.

When facing the inevitable criticism, remember:

You're not trying to please everyone: Someone making a lot of noise does not mean you should pay attention to them. Stay focused on making the best possible decision on behalf of the planet.

You're not aiming for perfection, but rather impact: A 50% improvement that reaches millions of customers beats a 100% perfect solution that never launches.

You're not accountable to critics: You're accountable to your shareholders, your customers, and the planet. Those are three judges you should pay attention to!

Conclusion

You will face judgment from some people. 

But don’t let it take you off your singular mission of choosing the best available solution on behalf of the planet.

Remember that serving millions imperfectly beats serving nobody perfectly

There was a reason you wanted to go more sustainable in the first place -- because your current solution is lacking in some way. 

So don’t let any voices of judgement leave you stuck.

No solution is perfect. But taking action is exactly what the world needs from you right now.