Engineering Mindset: How to Light Your Own Way

Excerpt from "Dream Small, Win Big" by Kazuo Inamori, Founder of Kyocera Corporation.
https://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Japans-Preeminent-Business-Philosopher-ebook/dp/B09W57SGGW/

In the domain of creativity, there is no standard. It is just like launching a raft onto a dark, stormy ocean without a compass.

During my voyage, when I suffered intense anguish, I desperately sought a lighthouse. But mine was a sea of uncharted territory. There was no lighthouse outside. I had to make a lighthouse of myself to illuminate the way. Being a pioneer means having no path to follow and no one to compete against other than yourself. This realization leads to perfectionism.

"Better" and "best" are terms we use when we have a standard for comparison. "Better" means something is relatively superior to something else; "best" means it is the best among certain things. But a pioneer in a new field is like a ship exploring where no one has gone before. As a pioneer, you demand "perfection" of yourself―because you have no one else on whom to rely. Aiming for perfection also implies that you are on an endless pursuit of your inner ideal.

In the domain of creativity, there is no standard. You have to search for a compass within yourself to determine and pursue your course.