As the cold weather embraces us for likely a number of months ahead, we tend to find ourselves reflecting on the warmer months that have passed. I often hear people talking about things they wish they’d done while the weather was good, but so often the time simply wasn’t there; or so they say.
For many, there is that idea of “tomorrow” being the day a project gets started or possibly completed. Unfortunately that particular “tomorrow” doesn’t arrive and life goes on while either chasing another dream or finally fulfilling a promise of yet another “tomorrow”.
I see two distinct crowds among us who are separated by being a bit too much of the kick-starter mindsets, while the other side is filled with the self-starting mentalities who want to conquer worlds in a season. If only there would be some sort of middle ground where the kick-starters blend with the self-starters to create more attainable goals without charging into a day like there’s no tomorrow, and on the flip side, not being someone who must be given play-by-play instructions on completing an honest day’s work.
Believe me, I’ve seen both sides at their worst this year where I’ve had to deal with the movers and shakers who’ve charged into their work with little regard for detail because they’d made up their minds that something was going to get finished on time regardless of the quality of the final product. On the other side, the unnecessary nagging at someone to get back to work and finish up on a given project seemed at times an exercise in futility. Deadlines seem non-existent and time irrelevant to these people.
I was called to inspect some work that was done by a mover and shaker last month and as I looked at the details I was not surprised at being disappointed in the quality. Was it completed on time? Yes, but with too many little annoying oversights that confirmed this person’s idea of charging through a job with little regard for quality. That person should have been hired for a simple job where machine piece work was rewarded for the amount of product put out per hour. I was called to inspect yet another finished project where the job was at last completed likely the day before it went to the stage of turning into a crisis. The job was done to the level of being admirable but that’s all I could think of was the amount of wasted time spent with endless phone calls to the worker to get it finished.
Someone came up to me over the weekend and paid a great compliment on the fine work that was visibly noticeable. I could say nothing more than, “I’m glad you appreciate good work.” If only this person knew the badgering it took to get that job finished.
Sometimes when we chide ourselves for not getting things done, but we must also remember it’s not always of our doing. If only others would have the same mindset of time and talent. Talent is paramount but time is also critical to a real job well done. I think I’m going to can a new phrase, “Do it “right” on time, or don’t do it at all.”
