Those who aim at faultless regularity will only produce mediocrity, and no one ever approaches perfection except by stealth, and unknown to themselves.

Chasing flawless regularity, argues the writer, only yields the ordinary. Real excellence tends to arrive sideways, when nobody is straining for it and the maker doesn't even realise it is happening. Perfection shows up as a by-product, not a target.

Context reviewed 20 September 2026