Nature is the ultimate iterative designer, courtesy of evolution.

Not only should we look to nature for near-perfect design, but also recognize how imperfect natural design is. Imperfections exist all over nature, mutations that manage to survive and thrive, injured plants and animals carrying on. Yet nature is still be incredibly effective.

The lesson is that in design of our own products, businesses, and processes, making them robust and self-sustaining is often more important than making them beautifully elegant.

Worry less about making your inventions perfect, and more on whether they are robust against the forces that might prevent them from being a success.