My neighbor decided to paint his house one summer. Starting in May, he came home from work every day and broke out the brush and pail. After 3 days he had the garage door done.

I chatted with him, mentioned that I used to own a paint contracting business, and had a garage full of airless and air-assisted paint spray equipment, extension poles, ladders, ladder jacks, planks, pot hooks, masking machines and every tool known to man that would make the job more efficient. He politely declined, and along about September he was finished. Two coats, every inch brushed by hand. On a 2800 SF 2-story house.

I couldn't bear to watch. I bought some paint on a Friday, and by the following Sunday mine was painted too. I thought I had showed him something, but I was dead wrong.

What I failed to understand was that he worked in a pressure cooker at Microsoft, on the verge of burnout. That happened shortly afterward. The painting exercise, besides being the most thorough and workmanlike way to paint a house, in its mind-numbing monotony was relaxation to him, keeping him from going off the deep end. I could see what he was doing, but I failed to understand why. That part is never easy to see.

At the end of the summer we both had well painted houses. I thought he took way too long, and he thought I cut a lot of corners. From different points of view, both views were correct. But we were both happy with our processes and our results, so we both won.

And nobody else cared how much time it took for either of us.

: Hi John: I am with you...though I guess we all build with different
: motivations...none better or worse than another. I suspect I am enjoying
: building my new workshop as much as I will enjoy building my boat. I have
: deadlines every hour, every day, every week, every month.

: When I enter my garage to 'finish' my workshop...the only deadline for me is
: when I feel ready to stop...or to play Legos with my son Dan..or
: whatever... Used to do some concrete/foundation work many, many moons
: ago...sweat a lot! Well...this one guy who was new to the states use to
: watch me sweat and say: "Langsam, langsam, abazeeka"(my phonetic
: recall)....meant: 'Slowly, slowly but surely'...still sounds good to me. I
: keep trying to integrate it into my day...it's all about balance...we're
: all bracing every day.

: BTW...how is the deck coming along John?
: Bob