Good work

Have you ever been told that you should be happier about your accomplishments or that you tried, and that’s what matters? I’m sure we are all nodding in agreement. This sentiment is generally accompanied by a hollow narrative, similar to the feeling of practicing what you are bad at (i.e., math problems, abstract thinking) and trying to convince yourself that you should be enjoying it. Angela Duckworth’s notoriety has largely come from the unearthing of the concept grit. Grit is the quality of bringing passion and perseverance over a lengthy span of time, focused on a small number of pursuits. Good work thrives on both of those qualities.

Passion does not in the slightest imply complete and utter enjoyment, just as not all accomplishments deserve the label good work. According to Ryan Doris, the philosophizing bodybuilder, good work is when you do something that impresses the self. Whether it is writing, sketching, lifting, or even generating ideas, good work can be mined from many sources. It is mostly related to a mindset, not so much the task itself:

“... live with trying really hard at everything… just be in a perpetual state of ‘is this good?’”

Then, as these acts of good work are stacked upon one another, really only then can you be at peace with your body of achievements. Similar to the idea of flow, when you bring skill to a challenging task and become fully immersed to the point of losing yourself for a brief period of time, there is a return like no other. Good work embodies a spirit, an attitude, a sense of direction, one that can be applied indiscriminately.

The achievements that stick out, creating such a deep sense of accomplishment that it’s hard to forget the memory, that’s what we should be chasing and it’s also what we should set as our standard. Showing up is not good work. Turning in something because it’s done is not good work. Success is not good work. Good work is doing everything with the intent of finishing and feeling deeply and profoundly impressed. 

“When was the last time that you actually impressed yourself?

That’s what I aim to do in my work.” - Ryan Doris

As you finish reading this article, I'm sure you are connecting dots from good work to mastery to deliberate practice, and everywhere in between. This is not a novel concept, but it is a way of framing the derivative of effort, passion, and time. Most material things leave us or break but prioritizing good work will change the way we interact with the world forever.