This reminds me of a short story that I've read in high school, involving America's Benjamin Franklin requesting a smithy to grind his axe until it shines on all of its faces. I think it's called the "Speckled Axe" or something of the sort. The premise of it was that while perfection is impossible to attain, it should be chased regardless, as the results from chasing it can be just as impressive as the concept of perfecting something.