On caring more than you should

11 Notes

Contrary to what you might believe, there is a surprising amount to be gained by caring more than you think you should about what you make. And by focusing on how you could do a better job of whatever it is you’re making. There’s a surprising amount that you can gain from increasing your own level of quality or taste about something. So, try and make a sandwich that you would want to eat. Try and make a sidewalk that you would not want to trip on. Try and make a car that you wouldn’t want to crash.

Conversely, there is probably more than you think to be lost by phoning all of that in. You do not get any more dignity, integrity, or money from making a bad sandwich. You certainly don’t get any more opportunity for the future by having someone fall down on your sidewalk. And you certainly have a large burden to carry around if you make a lot of people crash their car.

If you’re one of the people who worries that trying really hard, or appearing to care, or cleaning this thing a little bit harder is going to make you look like a punk, well then that’s not dignified. What you should be doing is whatever is going to make you raise your bar. Do you want to be surrounded by people who are allowed to decide how awesome you get to be? That’s no way to live.