Does Quality Work Have to Hurt or Take Long?
A language learning principle applicable to any endeavor
Fall 2010, Boston, MA
I increasingly became frustrated that the architecture models I spent hours on weren’t getting noticed by my professor. Yet the students’ chipboard models my professor was the most interested in seemed to be very low-effort. The students who left the studio early to go drinking seemed to get the most praise in presentations.
My 20-year-old self had a scarcity mentality about recognition. One professor versus 15 students meant I saw attention as a fixed asset. Little did I know that the universe was trying to teach me an abundance mentality.
If there’s something in life that isn’t how it seems, this is the universe trying to educate you.
I decided to test my professor. I cut some 1/8" and 1/4" basswood sticks into 6" lengths. Then I took the bundle of sticks in my hand and raised them 3 feet (1 meter) above my desk. I opened my hand, letting the sticks fall naturally onto my desk. I then glued them in place exactly where they fell, just like the game pick-up sticks.
I also hedged my bets and put hours’ worth of effort into 3 other wooden models, just…
