Showerthought: I was installing a custom built-in in a 1920s Craftsman in Pasadena and cut the crown molding profile backward on a $300 piece of 8-foot claro walnut.

I had to stop, order another board, and explain the $300 mistake to the homeowner, who just shrugged and said 'It's wood, it happens,' which made me wonder if we're too hard on ourselves for honest errors or if that kind of grace just encourages sloppy work.

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.taylor25d ago

I mean, that homeowner gets it, mistakes are part of the craft. You gotta own them and learn, but beating yourself up forever just burns you out. Finding that balance is the real skill.

ivan_craig25d ago

That balance is what separates pros from hacks.

black.mark16d ago

Wait, did you just call that homeowner a pro? They were the one who made the mistake in the first place. The balance is for the person doing the work, not the person paying for it. The homeowner just has to live with the result, good or bad. They don't need to find any balance about their own skill. That's a wild thing to say.