Wabi-Sabi

Design is iteration. You can't jump straight to a finished concept.

Each designer pushes through imperfection and self-criticism to finish a first draft.

The Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi captures the beautiful ability to appreciate imperfection as a sign of life, as all that is created ultimately decays in its own special way.

For watches or leather it's called patina and celebrated by collectors. The wear, the imperfect marks that show it also has a story.

That it, too, has lived in some way.

Collectors get quite upset when a luxury watch brand or repair shop polishes the scratches out of a vintage Rolex or Omega watch when they only wanted the internal movement serviced.

What if we appreciated imperfection in our art and websites and writing and ourselves in that way?

(I'd say this is also why I find 99% of criticism to be lacking enough context or shared far too soon.)