Wikipedia:Perfecting articles

In Wikipedia, emphasis is sometimes put upon "perfecting" articles. This may be, for example, by an editor trying to obtain Featured Article status or to reach their particular standard of quality. Perfection in a strict sense is an ill-defined concept for prose and therefore obtaining that goal is impossible; so, do not focus on making articles perfect and, instead, focus on making articles better. Through continual improvement we can obtain greatness or excellence, which, except in a loose sense, are altogether different from perfection.

It is important to remember that Wikipedia is a work in progress and will always remain so. A Wikipedia article does not have to be finished today and there is no deadline. It merely needs to have improved from the past. Even articles given Featured Article status cannot be considered perfect. They are just considered not to have obvious issues. Experience has shown however that even Featured Articles can improve in quality as time goes by.

If you are stressed by a feeling that "articles have to be perfect", try to ease this stress by having a little fun. It may be a good idea to take a break from the article that you are getting stressed about, or even take a little break from Wikipedia itself and go offline. Stress and frustration are unhealthy and can impair your judgment. Continuing to edit while feeling this way may be counterproductive to your goal of writing a great article and may lead to fatigue. You'll be surprised what a fresh pair of eyes can see.