July 1, 2026- Pleasure in the work

Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

~Aristotle

Some of the jobs we have to do are objectively miserable. Finding pleasure in the grind, leaning into the process, showing up when nobody is watching, expecting no accolades nor applause – this is the work that makes us a bit more perfect.

It doesn’t matter if we want to or not. Nobody is judging us on our motivation. Nobody knows what we are truly feeling inside. If we are motivated, and we don’t act on it, nobody cares how we feel. If we didn’t want to get something done and we got it done anyway, nobody cares how we felt.

Can we take pleasure in our discipline? Can we value our persistence and our resilience more than we value results or external validation? Can we tap into the best of us when we aren’t sure that anyone will notice? Can we be fully detached from our appearance of perfection but fully attached to a pursuit of a more perfect character?

The work is not our output, the work is our input. It sets aside all the things outside our control and focuses on us alone. Are we doing what the best version of us would do in that moment or are we settling for less?

Let’s be as perfect as possible in our work. Let’s let our discipline, grace, reflection, and resilience change us.