The Lesson from the Winged Victory of Samothrace

The Lesson from the Winged Victory of Samothrace
In 2014, I visited the Louvre for the first time.
Many artworks were breathtaking — but this statue was different.
As I was walking up the staircase I came to a stop and stood there, quietly, for a long time. It carried a kind of majestic weight.

When I returned in 2025, I noticed something new.
The right side and back of the statue were FAR less detailed.
At first, I thought it was unfinished.
But it wasn’t.

The sculptor had done this intentionally — because the statue was meant to be seen from the front left.
All the effort was focused where it mattered most. Even for a work of art at this level.

That realization hit me hard.

Last week, while juggling urgent work, I received a side request to send some collaterals.
I found them in minutes — but before hitting send, ideas to “improve” them flooded my head.
I knew it wasn’t the priority.
Yet I still ended up spending precious time polishing the edges.

Just like the statue’s unseen side, not everything needs perfection.
What matters is clarity of focus.

The Winged Victory didn’t lose its beauty because its back was rough.
It gained power because its creator knew where to invest effort.