Idioms

(the) good is the enemy of (the) great

(the) good is the enemy of (the) great

Settling for things that are merely good or adequate can prohibit one from achieving that which is truly great. My opponent wants our government to provide only enough funding for "good" services—good schools, good hospitals, good infrastructure, and so on. But good is the enemy of the great, and that is why he and his party will never lead our country to its fullest potential. You should never allow your employees to get away with mediocrity, because good is the enemy of great, and if left unchecked it will hinder your company's ability to grow. Call me a perfectionist, but why would you settle for just satisfactory? The good is the enemy of the great, is it not?
See also: enemy, good, great, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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