If there ain't emotion, it ain't real!

As I have mentioned in other posts, we’re on a Barnwood Builders kick right now. Murray and I started at the beginning and have 2 seasons left before being caught up. It started as an attempt to find another show that peaked our interest and provided some entertainment. After a few episodes, I quickly realized the show also offered a considerable amount of lessons on old structures, wood species, salvaging, rigging, and interior design just to mention a few. In addition, it highlighted some businesses that do similar work. We followed them on social media and expanded our network.

What else could you ask for out of a television show? The answer is simple and it may be surprising..... emotion. On a specific episode they salvaged the childhood home of a military veteran. As the owner was explaining some of his fondest memories, the emotion was overwhelming. Mark Bowe, owner of Barnwood Living, stated, “If there ain’t emotion, it ain’t real.” We quickly realized that many times the progress of projects is directly related to the amount of emotion involved. Emotion leads to creativity. Emotion leads to attentiveness to details. Emotion leads to shorter timelines. That emotion can be a result of the final expectations, client, material significance, and any combination.

The emotional aspect helps elevate projects from something that you can buy in any store to a Piece of Work. When there isn’t as much emotion, it just ain’t as real. On a much deeper level, life can be considered very similar with relationships, jobs, hobbies, etc. I am far from the best when it comes to feeling and showing emotion. It has been the fatal flaw in many cases and self-realization is continuing to be a roller coaster ride. Why can’t it be as easy as working through some of our projects? The sad fact is many times situations that don’t have emotion outweigh those that do. Before you know it, you’ve lived a life where you question successfulness, fulfillment, happiness, and meaning.

So what do you do going forward. Ole Lamar’s answer would typically be put your head down and keep working. My response may have a small portion of that deep down somewhere because it’s all I have ever known. In the past it’s all about quantity of work with as much perfection as possible. I would like to think as time progresses and life lessons are learned the hard way, it’s much less physically demanding than that. From a Piece of Work perspective, it’s simple. Evaluate jobs closely that don’t have much emotion and if there is any doubt refer them to others. From a personal perspective, don’t let emotionless or unrewarding aspects of life outweigh the others. Otherwise life may turn not be so real and what’s the purpose of that?

Written by Les.