What’s the Purpose of this Project? Is it Profit? A Passion? Am I chasing Perfection? Is it the Pursuit?
As a woodworker and entrepreneur there are many aspects to the daily routine that are part of the equation. All of the “P‘s” I mentioned above come into and out of focus at a variety of times.
I think the one thing we can rule out and symbolically “kick to the curb” is perfection. Perfection is an illusion in woodworking (and in nearly everything else in life). Does perfection exist in nature? Sure…but that often depends on who you’re asking and what their perspective is.
What about profit? So many things revolve around profit, money, finance, income and the likes. Yes, that can be important and varies wildly on the scale of importance depending on who you ask. Should it be the basis for your decisions on a project? Should it be the driving factor on a unique craft? Not necessarily, no. I’ve always had the opinion that profit and budget should be a guideline, not an end-all-be-all factor. A price is what you pay – but value is what you should seek, in my opinion.
Passion, purpose & the pursuit. Let’s face it…if we’re not enjoying what we do, what we make, what we create, what we build and what we strive for…why are we striving for it?
The journey (aka pursuit) of something you really enjoy or love doing is what most things measure up to in life. I really enjoy working with wood to create furniture and beautifully functional pieces. I get to start with a blank canvas nearly every time and watch something take shape. I get satisfaction from making progress and moving a build forward. I enjoy the problem solving aspects along the way when a “speed bump” pops up. I enjoy seeing the end result of working with my hands.
What’s your purpose, passion or pursuit look like with a project?