A recent home remodeling project is responsible for today’s message. My example may not be pertinent to you at this exact moment, but I think you will connect with today’s message on your own terms.
One wall in our guest bathroom was recently tiled. It butted up a newly painted adjacent wall. The resulting joint (seam) was not as clean as my wife would have liked, so we resorted to man’s greatest invention… Quarter-round molding.
(Next to the wheel, molding of any type is man’s greatest invention.)
I made a special trip to Lowe’s to purchase two 8-foot sections, which was ample to complete the job. That was easy. I painted each section with the same paint used for the adjacent wall. That was easy. I used “liquid nails” to fasten the molding in place. Once again, easy. I revisited Lowe’s to purchase a tube of grey caulking in order to fill in the seams which would complete the job.
And here comes today’s message.
Procrastination raised its ugly head. For reasons still unclear to me, I delayed snipping the tube of calk, applying a small bead, and smoothing it into the seams with my wet fingertip. My mind began to play games with me. What if it did not look good? What if I made a mess and made things worse than it was now? What if?
I allowed procrastination to enter the project, as one day turned into the next. The truth of the matter is that what I had to do to finish the job was easy to do. It would take less than ten minutes. (Probably closer to five.) Yet, I found myself delaying the task that would complete the job.
For no logical reason, what easy tasks are you putting off that need your attention? What is preventing you from wiping the slate clean and focusing on your next challenge? Chances are the thing that is holding you back has nothing to do with rocket science. All you need to do is… do it… and it will be done with.
I have often reminded you that “the mind quits first.” Caulking a bathroom seam is easy, yet my mind is telling me I’d rather run a marathon. A root canal promises to be less taxing at the moment. This is nonsense.
This week, do what you have been putting off. Then send me an email applauding your self-discipline. mike@mikemarcev.com In return, the next time we talk, my caulking job will be yesterday’s news, and I hope my marriage will still be intact.
News Flash: Only three seats remain at our Mastermind Owners Retreat in Cancun in March. Stuart Cohen and I are limiting attendance to 30 proactive travel professionals. (15 at each session to ensure meaningful interaction) You can become familiar with this “opportunity” at www.stuartlloydcohen.com/more
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. Send for details.
One thought on “What Does Calking a Bathroom Seam Have To Do With You?”
Here’s the spelling lesson for today:
“molding” is what old fruit does on its own. Truly, in this context, the word should be spelled “moulding” but I do see occasional uses (Lowe’s ads, for example) where it is incorrectly used.
Also, “calking” is a similarly spelled word as “moulding” in that it should have a “u” — caulking.
Always enjoy your posts!
(Signed,)
your “high school English teacher”