What Painting My Garage Taught Me About Leadership

Drawing of a paintbrush and gratitude suggestions

After 4 years in our new house I decided to put a few finishing touches on the garage. Specifically, paint the floor and take the rough "construction look" out of a small set of steps.

I move stuff from one side of the garage to the other, paint and then reverse the process for the other side. I think I handled everything in the garage 6 times !

Most of the materials were leftover from the original construction. The only items purchased were a can of paint, a tube of caulking and 8 feet of nosing for the stair treads.

It took me about 7 hours over the span of a week. I could have hired someone to do the work but I’m glad I didn’t. The project reminded of a few timeless principles:

  • doing work is therapeutic. My mind became immersed in the work and I completely lost track of time. It wasn’t work. It was a joy.

  • there is an enormous sense of satisfaction achieving the various milestones along the way and especially at the end as the final piece of nosing is installed.

  • seek help. I am far from a master craftsman, but with some support from the hardware folks, a video tutorial on YouTube, I’m able accomplish more than I give myself credit for.

  • excuses are a form of procrastination. I procrastinated on this for years thinking I didn’t have enough time. Guess what ? I had plenty of time, I just needed to see the work in smaller chunks. Looking at the whole job made it seem unsurmountable.

  • be grateful for the journey and not just the result because the process is often more rewarding than the outcome—in fact, being immersed in the process fosters a deeper appreciation for the outcome.

So for you, what project at work or at home looks too big for you ? Break it down, figure out the first step, find the necessary folks to support you and get going !


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