Obsession
- 1 minI think different people tend to have different visions of what craftsmanship might be so out of curiosity, I started looking online for quotes on the subject to get an idea of what interpretations people have. One of the quotes I came across and stood out is the following:
“We are more likely to fail as craftsmen due to our inability to organize obsession than because of our lack of ability.” - The Craftsman.
Having not read the book, I can’t interpret exactly what the author meant by this statement but I can try and express my understanding of it. What separates a craftsperson from a standard worker is the dedication towards perfecting his work. Sometimes this means spending an enormous amount of time to learn how to be more skillful with a tool.
Aside from the great gain of knowledge that we will get from doing so, we also face a challenge. The challenge is that we must not be consumed by the comfort zone the tool provides. We should learn it well enough so that we are perceived as proficient with it, but we should also leave just enough room for doubt. Doubt that something better might be out there. Something that can improve our process, our craft. We should leave enough room so that we become inquisitive. So that we question constantly whether the tool we are using really is the best tool for the job.
I think this is the obsession the writer speaks of. The obsession we might have with our tools and processes. We can only become better then when we manage to control it and actively ask the question “Is is the best way?”.
Personal blog of Makis Otman