On the first day of class, professor Jerry Uelsmann divided his film photography students into two groups.

Everyone on the left side of the classroom, he explained, would be in the “quantity” group.

They would be graded solely on the amount of work they produced.

On the final day of class, he would tally the number of photos submitted by each student. One hundred photos would receive an A grade, ninety photos a B, eighty photos a C, and so on.

Meanwhile, everyone on the right side of the room would be in the “quality” group.

They would be graded only on the excellence of their work.

They would only need to produce one photo during the semester. But to get an A, it had to be a nearly perfect image.

At the end of the term, Uelsmann made an unexpected discovery: all the best photos came from the quantity group.

During the semester, these students were busy taking photos, experimenting with composition and lighting, testing out various methods in the darkroom, and learning from their mistakes.

In the process of creating hundreds of photos, they honed their skills and produced exceptional work.

Meanwhile, the quality group spent the semester theorizing about perfection.

They debated ideas, agonized over the details, and ultimately produced one photo – mediocre at best.

The lesson was clear: improvement comes through action, not endless planning.

This story highlights a common trap we all fall into: the quest for perfection.

It’s easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change – the fastest way to lose weight, the best program to build muscle, the perfect idea for a business.

We spend so much time searching for the ideal strategy that we never actually take action.

As Voltaire once wrote, “The best is the enemy of the good.”

In other words, striving for perfection can prevent you from making meaningful progress.

Many would-be investors get stuck in the same mindset. They wait for the perfect stock pick, the ideal market conditions, or the most precise plan to start investing.

But here’s the truth: the market rewards those who participate, not those who hesitate.

Just like the quantity group learned by shooting hundreds of photos, you learn by actively engaging in the market – whether it’s making your first trade, managing a portfolio, or analyzing your performance.

Mistakes are inevitable, but they’re also your greatest teacher.

Every trade you make, every market cycle you experience, and every risk you take sharpens your skills and builds your confidence.

On the other hand, sitting on the sidelines waiting for the “perfect” opportunity often leaves you with nothing to show but missed chances and regrets.

It’s a new year, and there’s no better time to put this lesson into practice.

Instead of trying to time the market or waiting until you feel perfectly prepared, take a more active approach to investing.

Read The Million Mission, invest in the stocks I talk about here on a near-daily basis, start researching companies yourself, and email me if you’ve got any questions!

The experience you gain will be far more valuable than any amount of planning.

Progress comes through doing, not dreaming.

As the photography students showed, the path to excellence isn’t paved with perfection – it’s built on effort, experimentation, and a willingness to try.

Make 2025 the year you stop waiting and start acting.