Craft With Intention

As a desk wench/wage earner during the day, I'm no stranger to moving projects towards the goal post.  I have been doing corporate project management for over a decade, and that informs my philosophy on managing my home and feathering my nest.  My teams frequently ask me questions about work projects, like the following:

What's the most important part of a project?
ANSWER:  Celebrating when you complete it.  I know, I know.... most people will say it's actually "having a solid plan".  Yes, that is incredibly important for success.  I quote Einstein on that below.  But celebrating completion gives you satisfaction.  It puts a W on the board.  It drives you to carry the inertia of completion into your next project.

As for planning, it's absolutely crucial to the success of the problem.  Einstein famously said if he had 60 minutes to save the world from destruction, he'd spend 55 minutes defining what the actual problem WAS.  In the same way, the better you plan your project the more successful it will be.

Take this for instance.  This is not my craft.  It's gorgeous isn't it?  A beautiful gazebo.

I bring this with me when I train new hires.  I ask them "What is this made of?" and "WHERE was it made?" I get a lot of different answers.  Most people see it's made of wood (popsicle sticks), and think maybe it was made in a summer camp.

This gazebo was crafted by 2 sex offenders and a recovering heroin addict who stole catalytic converters off cars.  That's right, it was made at a state correctional facility.  By inmates.  Each piece was cut with safety scissors.  It's held together by glue.  It took about a month to construct.  Not a single builder of this work had so much as a high school education.

So I tell my colleagues AND my fellow crafters:  You do not need the best materials.  You do not need the best training or education.  What you DO need is a really solid plan, and a commitment to quality.

Craft with intention, my friends!

Much love,
JJ

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