Does the pursuit of perfection always end in a coronary??

[jfg455]

At what point do you just say "This is as good as I can do" and not strive to improve your skills? Or do you just build stuff that is within your relm of skills? It seems that in my head I see how I want my fab work to be but the finished product doesn't seem to ever get there. My wife always says my work amazes her but I think she is just biased. I am always trying to bring my work up to the next level and get frustrated when I don't think it is there. This happen to you as well? or am I just an overly anal SOB? [P

 

[TiredIronGRB]

I think you should strive to do better in everything in life, I've been building vehicles for over 30 years and I'm still learning and (hopefully) improving. It also helps when you can add to or upgrade your tools which can make a huge difference, I know having a metal make is much better than using the shop door.

 

[Fe2O3]

What I told my nephew about hunting : "It's not about the trophy on the wall....I'ts about every thing you do to get him there"

 

[kelseydum]

Same thing with my artwork. You HAVE to push yourself if you want to get better because one day you'll have that next breakthrough and will eventually have that "I get it" moment.

However, sometimes it's easier to move on to the next project and apply what you learned on the previous project.

 

[jfg455]

All my projects are better than the last but they always come at a price. mainly my blood pressure while doing it. And I do lve tools that make my job easier. But then with the new tools comes the new challange of trying something more complicated![

 

[Crossfire]

critic

You are your worst,and most picky critic. Your best is never good enough to satisfy you,but you only learn by trial and error. You are lucky to have a better half who supports you. Keep at it man,nothings perfect except waking up everyday and having another day to try your best at whatever you do.

 

[donsrods]

My ex wife used to acuse me of being a perfectionist, but I really am not. I like to do things "kinda nice" but not so nice that I am afraid of parking it anywhere or damaging it. When I get a stone chip or whatever I just say "oh well!"

Now, my Son Dan, on the other hand, IS a perfectionist, and even he hates that part of himself. It drives him nuts if a washer on a fastner slides a little more to one side than the other, or if something is not totally straight. While I admire his work, he has said a bunch of times he wishes he could change that about himself. It sometimes takes the fun out of doing stuff. Whenever my two Sons and I are working at the shop we will hear Dan cussing over in his side of the shop because something isn't going right, and Don will say to me "Is he always this way?" Yep.

However, I have seen him start coming around to where he is now saying "It's good enough!" We think he has been abducted by aliens because the old Dan would never say those words. We have to remember this is a hobby and supposed to be relaxing and fun. When it becomes a chore it is about time to get out of it.

Don

 

[jfg455]

sounds about right Don. I was looking at the back half of the datsun last night after finishing up working on it. I then realized the the rear frame rails were 1/8" farther apart at the rear than that the shocks. the shock mount itself is 1/8" lower on the drivers side than the passengers.[S I stood there fuming about "how could I be that dumb not to realize it when I tached it together!" and finally came to the same conclusion. Noone will know when it is tinned and I can adjust the shocks for the difference. It was then that i was thinking about the post title here.

 

[RoddingRon]

John....you work on cars for a living...how many times have looked at what the factory did and say "I can't believe they let that get through"? I know the new cars are better then the older one's, but even when they are building the new cars, they have tolerances for assemblies....sometimes that 1/8" that you were complaining about is nothing to them (I've seen a factory frame out of square more then that from the factory)

I appreciate the fact that you want everything to be perfect (especially when assembling a big block motor), but the examples you gave above will never be seen by anyone except you and whoever you point it out to (like you did here...so everyone knows now). You already realized that the mounting thing is no big deal because you know you can adjust for it, and who knows....you may end up cranking that adjustment out of the shock to make it hook better when you launch.

Maybe it's because I'm old, or maybe it's because over the years of building things, I've learned that if it's not a visual area (body stuff...finish, door gaps, fender alignment...etc) if it doesn't affect safety first and foremost, or driveablity and dependablity, I don't dwell on it. YES, I still beat myself up if I make a mistake, and I have to cut things apart to make it safe and / or dependable, but it it's not going to affect anything, I get over the aggravation and move on. (probably because I'm old and don't want to waste what time I have left worrying about the little things)

 

[tw7256]

I am a huge Kansas State Football fan but it's their coach Bill Snyder that I admire. He has a philosophy about his players striving getting a little better every day not only as football players but as Students and young men in general. I adhere to this as best I can. I try to get better at what I do with my hobby and personal life every day. To me this where you can find some inner peace knowing your a work in progress and that you try to do the best you can. Sometimes you learn from your mistakes and do it better the next time. Never stop trying to get better at what you do.

 

[Snake Farm]

Does the pursuit of perfection always end in a coronary??

Yes, yes it does. So if you want to remain happy in this hobby (or any other hobby.....or life in general ) you need to take corrective measures.

I can relate to everything that's been said here so far, and when my hobbies start giving me grief I drop them till I'm in a different frame of mind.

 

[Willowbilly3]

yes
yes
and yes.
I tend to think I can do things I'm not quite equipped to pull off. I'm kind of a weird combination of anal and slob.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Part of the fun.....

yes
yes
and yes.
I tend to think I can do things I'm not quite equipped to pull off. I'm kind of a weird combination of anal and slob.

Trying to do something that you are not equipped to do...then pulling it off....I've never been afraid to jump into things mechanically.... my parents hated to buy me anything... first thing I did was pull it apart to see how it worked.... but I am my own worst critic.... my kid thinks I'm anal about things that don't show but I don't like doing anything half a__'d.. My kid throws it together, drives it twice then fixes all the stuff that isn't right.... I'd rather do it right and drive it... as many times as I can...[cl

 

[junker39]

I agree. Try to get it right the first time. But, what's "right" or good enough, to me, may not be to another person. Example: welding. I can weld. But, I sure ain't no welder. My welds look like crap. Even to me. There's really nothing I can do about it. I can't see and my "steady hands" went south. But, it's welded and stays together. I feel confident with my work. If it doesn't meet someone else's approval, oh well. It's not their's and they don't have to ride in it or even look at it. There's a few things I could have done better but, I'm not building a show car or one that's going to be on the cover of Hot Rod. It's mine and I built it. If the guy across the road, with his pro built 69 Camero, doesn't like it, that's fine with me. I'm getting the satisfaction of building this thing MY way. That's all.

 

[sneakysnake]

I think having the right tools and not enough sense to know you cant helps alot.Im bad about cutting thing loose because it wasnt right to my taste or remake it because something wasnt right yet you cant even get to my work bench for the clutter.The thought of something standing out that I let get by because I was to lazy to fix it bothers me and there are somethings that I see on my ride and I go"why didnt I just put a little more effort into that".

 

[Willowbilly3]

Trying to do something that you are not equipped to do...then pulling it off....I've never been afraid to jump into things mechanically.... my parents hated to buy me anything... first thing I did was pull it apart to see how it worked.... but I am my own worst critic.... my kid thinks I'm anal about things that don't show but I don't like doing anything half a__'d.. My kid throws it together, drives it twice then fixes all the stuff that isn't right.... I'd rather do it right and drive it... as many times as I can...[cl

Don't get me wrong, I'll dive in and do what I have to do to get where I want to be. I tore my roadster completely apart just to lower the front of the body an inch, didn't like the way it looked. I also whacked the whole back off my frame to extend the wheel base a couple inches, just thought the rear wheels needed moved 2 inches back. If it doesn't look right, I'm not happy with it. There's a lot of things I could take an easier route on and end up with a suitable result but I have something specific in mind and I'll beat it until I get there.

 

[sgtpontiac]

See... I'm the same way....

That's why the kid calls me anal.... but if I'm not happy with it then it gets fixed or done over... his motto is get it put together, run it and then spend days weeks or months trying to fix the crap that didn't work or didn't stay together...... must be the generation..... things don't move fast enough so let's make em move faster..... Yeah, Let's see how that works out....[

 

[schine]

the moment when you realise you can't improve?....that gotta be sucky, i'm glad you guys will never get there...

 

[rainman]

Basicly you question can be answered with one word "experience".

If you're serious about what you're doing, it cures all!!!!

 

[Bonehead]

I have not done the best I can do yet. Seems I always leave a little on the table. Usually I compromise, with time and money, and the skill level with time and effort.
I lack enough patience to be anal with a project. Could I build a real show car? Yes.
Do I want to waste that much time? No.