Balancing Taste with Real-World Delivery

How do you hold a high bar for yourself when the world around you is built with constraints?

That question haunted me for years. Like many designers with a refined taste, I struggled every time I had to ship something I knew wasn't there yet. Not because it was broken, but because it wasn’t aesthetically pleasing. Not because it failed functionally, but because it lacked soul.

I blamed the system.
I blamed the stakeholders.
I blamed leadership for not having taste.
And I revered the legends — the ones who threw out 117 versions to ship that one magical thing. That worship gave me solace, but not sleep.
Everything changed when I stepped into leadership.

That’s when I truly saw the machine we’re building within — a system with budgets, dependencies, deadlines, and team energy. Systems have boundaries.
Push too hard and you create friction. Conform too much and you become forgettable.

So, I created a mental model to survive and thrive:
Level 1 vs Level 2 Delivery.

Level 1 delivery is what the system asks for — the scope that’s greenlit, the priority that’s resourced, the milestone that’s non-negotiable.
Level 2 delivery is what my taste asks for — my invisible bar of excellence, my fingerprints, my version of art.

Each time I ship, I ask:
Is this the moment for Level 1 or Level 2?
If I’m still learning — if the data is unclear, or timing is tight — I close my eyes, ship Level 1, and collect signal. I don’t over-polish. But I never ship trash. Even Level 1 has dignity.

No “untitled.fig”.
No broken components and variables.
No half-done wires in prototypes.
Just clean, clear, respectful work.

Later, when the data supports it — or when the moment calls for resonance over speed — I go back and deliver Level 2.
Level 1 is the first act.
Level 2 is the encore.
Level 3? Maybe someday. But there’s no finish line in taste. Only peace.

Today, I ship Sensibowl Substack in Level 2. A tastefully crafted workbook that is a companion to build health in 300 days.

I shipped AiPD 100 days of learning as Level 1. And I sleep well. Because I know I played my part within the system, not against it.

And yes, I reject the "ship it ugly" mantra.
Ship it simple, sure. Ship it raw, maybe.
But never ship it disrespectfully.
Taste isn’t just about polish — it’s about presence.

A decision made with care.
A hand that says: someone crafted this for you.
That’s my line. And that’s how I draw it, every single time.