The Two Groups of Students

There are two groups of students. The first group was told to take up to 100 photos, and they would be graded based on quantity, not quality. The second group was told to submit just one photo, which would be evaluated based on quality.

While the second group was pondering how to take a quality photo or find a suitable scene, the first group started working. With each photo, the quality of their work improved.

As a result, the first group produced more quality photos than the second group.

The Power of Practice

This experiment, mentioned in the book "Atomic Habits," demonstrates an important principle: practice and repetition often lead to quality, not the other way around. When we focus too much on creating the perfect result from the beginning, we may become paralyzed by overthinking and perfectionism.

Instead, by embracing a quantity-first approach—focusing on taking action and producing work consistently—we naturally improve through iteration and feedback. Each attempt teaches us something new, refines our skills, and brings us closer to excellence.

This principle applies to many areas of life: writing, programming, art, music, or any skill you wish to develop. Start by doing, not by planning to do perfectly. The path to mastery is paved with practice, not perfect first attempts.