This week, Stan (http://branddna NULL.blogspot NULL.com/) reminds us all that getting things done relies on one thing and one thing alone… Stopping. Because stopping means finished, and finished means do something else.

The PR machine kicked into overdrive last week for the 40th anniversary edition of the Rolling Stones’ album Exile on Main Street.

Generally regarded by fans and critics alike as the greatest record the band ever made, at its time of release it was not well received.

People derided its loose, sloppy, dare I say it, shambolic sound. In essence it sounded as if they had released a collection of rough-hewn demos.

But over time people grew to love it and recognise its raw beauty.

This week sees the release of the anniversary edition, which includes a bunch of out-takes and unused songs.

I already have many of these out-takes, so was looking forward to hearing them polished up for official release.

Boy was I disappointed.

The Stones have messed with perfection. What was once rough ‘n ready is now overly overdubbed.
What made the original album what it was, was that the Stones knew when to stop.

Sure they could have smartened up a few songs, or even culled one or two, but they didn’t. They trusted their instincts and knew what they had created could not be improved upon.

You need to develop this kind of instinct for your own work.

Know when it can be better. Know when it isn’t quite there. And know when it is finished. Because if you don’t, you may find you overwork your work so much that the simple beauty of the initial idea ends up getting lost.