Interestingly enough, I listened to a speaker on Monday night tell a group of high school Juniors and Seniors that if they followed their passions, the money would take care of itself. Hum … I am just not sure I necessarily agree with that. So, I’ve been thinking about it the last couple of days, particularly in light of some really nasty medical news that my family has encountered. And, as is typically my case, I have some observations and would love to hear back from any of you with opinions of your own.
I have told you in past writing that I tend to keep my passion as an avocation rather than making it my profession. In doing that, I’ve probably never gotten as good at it as if I would have jumped in and said, "I will be a cabinet maker." I have tinkered with woodworking, learning a lot but never really perfecting the techniques that I use. I can and do make pretty furniture and beautiful casework, but I know that had I committed to it with my entire being I would be better today.
At the same time, I did commit myself completely to the management of people. And in this arena, I believe that I am very good. This has provided a very comfortable living for myself and my family, and put me in a position that I believed would allow me to retire someday. For those of us in my generation, this goal has become much more elusive in the last few years than it was in our "early" years.
That all changed last week. There has been a change in our family and I have already decided, without reservation, that I would and will spend every cent I have to make it right again. And, I know we will make it right.
So, the question for me comes full circle. If I would have followed my passion, would the money have taken care of itself?
Wow, how do you even think about that? On one hand, maybe with the commitment that I would have made I would have ended up as one of the most prestigious craftsmen in the country, commanding tens of thousands of dollars for a single piece of furniture. On the other hand, maybe I am as good now as I ever would have been and I’d be living today with much less, but I would have followed my passion all of those years.
So, it kind of becomes one of those chicken/egg arguments. Which came first? Here is what I have come to believe in the last little bit. We all have to do something that makes us smile … EVERY DAY. If what we are doing does not do that, we have to stop what we are doing and regroup. Life is just too short to do anything else. So, I am going home tonight to make sure Andrew loves Engineering and to let Megan know that if she wants to swim with sharks, I will take pictures. As far as Sara, it is time to get after her quilting business.
Please think positive thoughts for my daughter. She is beginning a long journey back to good health. Keep her close to your heart. Thanks
Carpentry vs. Cabinetmaking
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
While I was working on the remaining section of my stairs the other night, I asked myself the question, "Are you a cabinetmaker or a carpenter"? For me the answer came easily. I am a carpenter.
For what I do, being a good carpenter is enough. I put things together in the best way, and joints typically fit the way that I want them to. I end up with projects that are functional and have the right form and fit. But, from the perspective of a cabinetmaker, I am not there. There is no "grace and beauty" to what I do. I am not a cabinetmaker, nor am I a furniture builder. I do however aspire to be both and I will continue to strive to accomplish these levels of craftsmanship. But what am I doing to achieve these levels?
I wonder if there is a like comparison in other endeavors. I am sure there is. It seems to me that sometimes we go through our lives in a state of mediocrity, happy with the level of our performance and hoping that we will be able to improve our performance to something better. What happened to the way we approached things when we were young? I remember Andrew’s second Pinewood Derby. He absolutely believed that we would win; because we had worked on his car together and there was no way that anyone could be better than that. We didn’t win, and he was crushed. Is that the start of limiting ourselves to just be OK, so it doesn’t hurt so much when we are not great?
We all know excellence when we see it. It is going to the Drake Relays and watching a world class athlete set a new record. But it is also watching a mother in the grocery store deal with three kids who are having fits appropriately, not screaming or grabbing them by their arm. I need to take time to recognize excellent behavior in others and tell them about it, and I need to challenge myself to excellence in my own life.
Speaking for me, it is time to stop accepting the mediocre - in my personal life and in my professional life. I need others around me to do the same. I will push toward a higher level of expertise in my carpentry until I call myself a cabinetmaker.
Life is a journey. Standing still in the place where we are comfortable doesn’t move us forward and doesn’t move us past mediocrity. I will move forward. I will challenge and encourage you to move forward as well if you will do the same for me. This is how we can make our part of the world just a little bit better.
Are you in?
I wonder if there is a like comparison in other endeavors. I am sure there is. It seems to me that sometimes we go through our lives in a state of mediocrity, happy with the level of our performance and hoping that we will be able to improve our performance to something better. What happened to the way we approached things when we were young? I remember Andrew’s second Pinewood Derby. He absolutely believed that we would win; because we had worked on his car together and there was no way that anyone could be better than that. We didn’t win, and he was crushed. Is that the start of limiting ourselves to just be OK, so it doesn’t hurt so much when we are not great?
We all know excellence when we see it. It is going to the Drake Relays and watching a world class athlete set a new record. But it is also watching a mother in the grocery store deal with three kids who are having fits appropriately, not screaming or grabbing them by their arm. I need to take time to recognize excellent behavior in others and tell them about it, and I need to challenge myself to excellence in my own life.
Speaking for me, it is time to stop accepting the mediocre - in my personal life and in my professional life. I need others around me to do the same. I will push toward a higher level of expertise in my carpentry until I call myself a cabinetmaker.
Life is a journey. Standing still in the place where we are comfortable doesn’t move us forward and doesn’t move us past mediocrity. I will move forward. I will challenge and encourage you to move forward as well if you will do the same for me. This is how we can make our part of the world just a little bit better.
Are you in?
Steam
Thursday, May 5, 2011
OK, I promised to get back to man-caves and here I am.
On occasion you get a chance to see someone’s passion exemplified in the shop they have. Such is the case with Jay Leno.
I watch and absolutely love the television series “Modern Marvels” on the History channel. My kids, Andrew and Meg, give me crap about it at times, but I find pure joy in discovering the history of things and how they work. I’ve watched everything from engineering disasters to the history of the shovel. My son continues to give me a hard time about that episode – who calls the shovel a “Modern Marvel”?
Anyway, one of the latest episodes was about steam power and how it shaped our past and powers our everyday. Enter Jay Leno and his shop. Many of you know that Jay is very much into autos and has a garage/shop. It is 17,000 square feet! The space I am working in is about 800 sq. ft. and I can’t believe how much space I have. Jay has a fully functional machine shop in the corner of his shop; I have a small space that will eventually be an office. BUT, either way, both are filled with what we love.
When I was young and thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, my father told me I should find work that I like and leave what I love for my avocation. I’ve tried to do that with woodworking. There are those with greater skill than me when it comes to woodworking, but I doubt there are many who love what they are doing the way I love working in my shop. I get excited even when faced with a long list of next steps to improving my space and projects to be done.
In the meantime though, let’s appreciate those who have already made the trip. In this case, Jay Leno who has automobiles, steam cars, and stationary steam engines in his shop. To a gentleman that added a steam generator behind his shop to power his steam engines – my hat is off to you, Jay. It shows your passion. Job well done but don’t quit now. Show the rest of us the way to go. And for any of you who are reading this and have a shop, drop me a line and tell me about your space and your passion. I might just include some of your stories in a future post.
Have a great day and keep after it.
On occasion you get a chance to see someone’s passion exemplified in the shop they have. Such is the case with Jay Leno.
I watch and absolutely love the television series “Modern Marvels” on the History channel. My kids, Andrew and Meg, give me crap about it at times, but I find pure joy in discovering the history of things and how they work. I’ve watched everything from engineering disasters to the history of the shovel. My son continues to give me a hard time about that episode – who calls the shovel a “Modern Marvel”?
Anyway, one of the latest episodes was about steam power and how it shaped our past and powers our everyday. Enter Jay Leno and his shop. Many of you know that Jay is very much into autos and has a garage/shop. It is 17,000 square feet! The space I am working in is about 800 sq. ft. and I can’t believe how much space I have. Jay has a fully functional machine shop in the corner of his shop; I have a small space that will eventually be an office. BUT, either way, both are filled with what we love.
When I was young and thinking about what I wanted to be when I grew up, my father told me I should find work that I like and leave what I love for my avocation. I’ve tried to do that with woodworking. There are those with greater skill than me when it comes to woodworking, but I doubt there are many who love what they are doing the way I love working in my shop. I get excited even when faced with a long list of next steps to improving my space and projects to be done.
In the meantime though, let’s appreciate those who have already made the trip. In this case, Jay Leno who has automobiles, steam cars, and stationary steam engines in his shop. To a gentleman that added a steam generator behind his shop to power his steam engines – my hat is off to you, Jay. It shows your passion. Job well done but don’t quit now. Show the rest of us the way to go. And for any of you who are reading this and have a shop, drop me a line and tell me about your space and your passion. I might just include some of your stories in a future post.
Have a great day and keep after it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)