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hands

hands title: 

§32. Rule 17. More Than Work

hands date: 

5 May 2026

hands text: 
I will work harder.
Boxer, Animal Farm
01
What used to be simple becomes difficult. Attention is no longer reliable and mistakes appear in places where I do not normally expect them. The work continues to be possible but is no longer enjoyable. The satisfaction that comes with good work gives way to the desire simply to get it done.

Half an hour of tired work can easily create several hours of unnecessary repairs. Yet few mistakes are permanent.

02
I have met many tradesmen who hate their work.

What strikes me is not so much what they say as what they no longer say. They speak about prices, customers and the difficulties of the trade. They rarely speak about projects they enjoyed. They no longer point out beautiful work they did. Somewhere along the way, the pleasure seems to have disappeared.

03
We have a remarkable ability to adapt. Unfortunately, we also adapt to things we probably should not. After a while, when every day is something to endure, fatigue becomes the norm. It becomes difficult to remember that work was once a source of satisfaction.

I have come to believe that respecting one's limits is part of good workmanship. Reality imposes limits everywhere. Materials have limits. Tools have limits. Buildings have limits. It would be strange to imagine that I have none.

Without this, it becomes surprisingly easy to lose sight of why we chose this way of life in the first place.

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