As we can see here, there are different approaches to "perfection," and I suspect that people who are actively involved on this forum are going to be more concerned about self-improvement than the casual user.
I also assume that many of us strive to get a perfect shot upon pressing the shutter. Post processing may follow, although setting the camera's parameters beforehand is effectively the same thing. Meaning that the use of post processing does not, by any means, always imply that what was initially taken in camera was flawed. It simply means that the camera's inherent limits failed to satisfy the photographer's desired outcome.
Particularly in black and white photography, placement and use of tonality, highlights, shadows, contrast, and such are markedly subject to personal interpretation, whereby, as the photographer---not artist---Ansel Adams so clearly demonstrated, thus setting an indisputable precedent, the most creative, and thus compulsive, aspect of photography can absolutely occur in post, despite relative perfection being achieved at the time of the shutter release.
As Curtis N noted, perfection is, in one way, perpetually elusive; there is no absolute equation guaranteeing impeccable success, especially when judging one's own work. I might find other's work perfect, at least in the sense that I wouldn't demand any change to the photograph, but never with my own photos.
Yet, in the impossible quest for "perfection," I place most emphasis on expanding my vision, aiming to see things to which I was blind or unobservant in the past. When I see a great photo, I'll frequently ask myself if I would have known to take the shot if I was in the same location, same time, and so on. It might seem so obvious, "of course I would have," but if this were true, then how come I'm not coming home with photos of similar quality.
My approach involves stepping out the door with little clue as to what I will photo, hoping that I might not only find myself at the right place and time, but, more importantly, to be keen enough to act upon the opportunity presented. Sometimes the opportunity might prove static, allowing for some contemplation, or it might be fleeting, offering only a second or two. But the constant key is the ability to see it in a visually compelling manner and to quickly envision its potential, whether the subject matter is inherently alluring, such as an attractive woman, or mundane and unassuming.
So expanding vision largely entails developing and fostering a more creative perception of lighting, shape, and composition, finding it where I once would have ignored it, both at the time of shutter release and in post.
