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185 quotes, page 6 of 7Pride in the job
For anybody who does it properly when nobody is watching: the tidy load, the clean weld, the bed made right. Craft is a habit, not a job title.
We say who really said each one, and where the credit is uncertain we tell you. Every card is ours to share.
“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
Attributed to Abraham Lincoln. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Cleaner, driver or manager, aim to be a good one. That is what people remember.
“I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit.”
Jiro Ono, sushi chef, in Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)
Routine work is not boring if you use it to get a little better each time.
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Attributed to Pablo Picasso. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Master the standard way first. Only then will you know which shortcuts are safe.
“Quality is everyone's responsibility.”
Attributed to W. Edwards Deming. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
The picker, the packer and the driver all own the parcel's arrival in one piece.
“Small is beautiful.”
E. F. Schumacher, the title of his book (1973)
A small business done well can be a fine thing. Size is not the measure of good work.
“If you want a thing done well, do it yourself.”
English proverb, often credited to Napoleon
Sometimes the quickest fix is rolling up your own sleeves. Good leaders still muck in.
“Success is the sum of a lot of small things correctly done.”
Attributed to Fernand Point, chef of La Pyramide. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Clean station, sharp knives, labelled tubs: a good service in any kitchen is built from small habits.
“He could not make Antonio Stradivari's violins without Antonio.”
George Eliot, Stradivarius (1873)
Machines and systems help, but the skill in your hands is what makes the finished job good.
“A self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the mood.”
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, letter to Nadezhda von Meck (1878)
Professionals work on the days they do not feel like it. Start the task and the mood often follows.
“You say to a brick, 'What do you want, brick?' And brick says to you, 'I like an arch.'”
Louis Kahn, as widely quoted from his lectures
Every material has its ways. A good joiner learns the grain before cutting it.
“Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.”
Johan Cruyff, as widely quoted
The neatest plastering, the cleanest weld, the simplest dish: making it look easy takes years.
“Talent is a long patience.”
Gustave Flaubert, as recalled by Guy de Maupassant in the preface to Pierre et Jean (1888)
Learning a trade takes patience: the hundredth cut, the thousandth bed made, the tenth year on the tools.
“The artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind of artist.”
Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, Why Exhibit Works of Art? (1943)
A neatly stacked pallet or a well made bed is skilled work. Take pride in it.
“Pray and work.”
Latin motto associated with the Benedictine monks (Ora et labora)
Balance matters: work hard, and make time for whatever fills you back up.
“A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”
Thomas Mann, Essays of Three Decades (1947)
Experts often find the work harder, because they see what could be better. That is a good sign.
“Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.”
Elmore Leonard, Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle, The New York Times (2001)
Keep handover notes and emails short. Write only what the next shift needs.
“Omit needless words.”
William Strunk Jr., The Elements of Style (1918)
A covering letter does not need to be long. Say what you can do and why you want the job.
“Less isn't more; just enough is more.”
Milton Glaser, as widely quoted
Do not overload a plate or a shelf. Just enough, done well, looks best.
“It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill.”
Wilbur Wright, letter to Octave Chanute (1900)
Equipment can be bought. The skill to use it well comes from training and practice.
“Talk is cheap. Show me the code.”
Linus Torvalds, Linux kernel mailing list (2000)
At a trade test or a working interview, what you can actually do speaks loudest.
“Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.”
Martin Fowler, Refactoring (1999)
Write labels, logs and notes that the next person can read. That is real skill.
“Make every detail perfect and limit the number of details to perfect.”
Attributed to Jack Dorsey. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Pick the few things customers really notice and get them exactly right.
“Learn a trade and set it aside.”
Italian proverb (Impara l'arte e mettila da parte)
Every course and licence you earn is something you keep. It may be just what you need one day.
“The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.”
Attributed to Agatha Christie. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Routine jobs free the mind. Some of the best ideas for improving work come during the dull bits.
“Master your instrument, master the music, then forget all that and just play.”
Attributed to Charlie Parker. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Learn the rules of the job inside out. Then you can work smoothly without thinking about each step.
“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”
Attributed to Duke Ellington. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
A difficult customer or awkward repair is where your skill really shows.
“When in doubt, use brute force.”
Ken Thompson, as widely quoted
If the clever fix is not working, the simple, thorough approach often gets the job done.
“Above all, keep it simple.”
Attributed to Auguste Escoffier. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
A simple dish cooked perfectly beats a complicated one cooked badly.
“The piano ain't got no wrong notes.”
Attributed to Thelonious Monk. Widely attributed; the original source has not been traced.
Mistakes in training are how you learn. Keep practising.
“There is no secret; it is just that my hand is well practised.”
Ouyang Xiu, The Old Oil Seller (11th century). Translated from 'Wu ta, dan shou shu er'.
The skill that looks magic in the old hand on site is simply years of practice.
Other sections
- Work and keeping going (559)
- Stoic calm (316)
- An open mind (366)
- Starting a business (299)
- For leaders (218)
- Working with people (214)
- Mindset and habits (339)
- Safety and health (219)
- Starting again (210)
- Pride in the job (185)
- True stories of people who started small