When "good enough" isn't enough.
The housing market in Munich and in many other cities is insane.
Last week, a friend told me about an apartment viewing he went. When he arrived, he saw a long queue outside the building. He thought people were waiting for ice cream or some special offer at a local shop.
They weren’t. Every person in that queue wanted to view the same apartment.
There simply aren’t enough apartments in the city. People apply for everything, attend countless viewings, and hope someone eventually chooses them.
That queue made me think about where my usual “good enough” rule breaks down.
I often write that most things don’t need to be perfect. It takes relatively little time to make something good enough and much longer to make it perfect. That principle has served me well.
But “good enough” works best when you aren’t being compared side by side with 40 other options.
In a crowded market, good enough can be the difference between getting something or not.
When I looked for my apartment almost two years ago, I was extremely selective. I didn’t want to end up like other people looking for months for an apartment.
Before I even agreed to a viewing, the apartment had to be close to perfect. I wanted to be ready to sign the contract immediately if it looked as good in person as it did online.
I ended up viewing only two apartments. For both, I wrote out a proper message first. Not “hi, interested in viewing, let me know.” I told them about my job, where I’m from, why that specific apartment made sense for me. I also thought carefully about how each sentence would land and what the person on the other side would value.
After each viewing, I sent another detailed message explaining exactly what I appreciated about the apartment and why I thought it would be a perfect fit. I drafted each message separately and made it highly personalized.
I received an offer for both of them.
Was the result entirely because of those messages? Probably not. Luck always plays a role. Another landlord might have chosen someone else for reasons completely outside my control.
But effort can still improve your odds. And when you’re competing with others for the same thing, even a few extra percentage points can make all the difference.
The same applies when looking for a job.
Many people nowadays send the same CV and an almost identical message to a hundred companies. With AI, it’s now easier than ever to apply with the click of a button.
I get it. It’s comfortable, quick, and easy. You just want to get it done. Generic applications can also feel safer: you don’t become too invested in any one opportunity, so each rejection hurts a little less.
A thoughtful application is different. You have to decide what you really want, make a genuine effort, and risk discovering that even your best wasn’t enough.
That’s uncomfortable.
But when you’re competing for something scarce an apartment, a job, or an important client the final percentages of effort may be what separates you from everyone else.
So, if there’s something you genuinely want but haven’t managed to get, don’t automatically do more of what isn’t working.
Become more selective. Understand the person making the decision. Improve your message. Make it easy for them to choose you.
Because “good enough” is sometimes not enough.
See you next Tuesday,
Cheers,
Xaver
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