Last November I wrote a blog post called “Is Being Married to Wood Flooring Worth It? I Think So,” and I still feel the same way.
But recently a pro in a Facebook group made a post that broke my heart. He stated he was throwing in the towel and selling all his tools. He was done with wood flooring and would seek something else to do. He reinforced his decision to quit by explaining that he was strung out by builders owing him massive amounts of money, and the whole vision was faltering and dying on the vine. Readers were asking him what kind of tools he had, and where he was (if close in proximity to drive over or not).
Some of the readers offered encouragement to let the feeling pass, and to have courage. I hope that pro made peace with his thoughts.
It made me consider my feelings about this industry—indeed, my career. I also have had ups and downs, even to the point of throwing in the towel. Back in 2007, I thought life would be better if I joined the sheriff’s department, and I can say now that thank God nothing came of it. I remember my recruitment officer asking me about my son (7 years old at the time) and telling me to get a babysitter because I would not see him that often anymore due to the demands of the law career. That was the part I said “no” to.
After that, I moved on my plans for World Domination, but that didn’t work out, either. Everyone laughed at me (even though I was serious), so I chose wood floors, and it clicked right away.
The point is: I went through it, too, but came out better for it. In time I learned to love my craft, and looking back realize what kept me going and still keeps me going all this time.
The secret for me is keeping in mind the numerous ways to “keep the love alive,” just like the song says. For me, it’s a deliberate effort. I will list a few of them below and hope this message can help others in this trade as well. Come to think of it, it doesn’t matter what trade you are in. I could’ve pursued other interests, and the same ups and downs would follow me. Maybe I’d have been an electrician or plumber, but I chose wood floors—and I count myself lucky. Wherever my path might have gone, I would find the same (or almost the same) fork in the road.
Here's what helps me keep the love alive:
- Recognition
- Peer respect and/or camaraderie
- A decent work ethic
- A will to strive to succeed.
There are more, but I’m not writing a Tolstoy novel, and you get the idea (I hope).
Recognition: I kinda like getting positive signals that reinforce or compliment what I’m trying to accomplish. For example, when the client smiles as they hand me my fee for the work, or when I get a nice review online. There is no better felling of accomplishment for me than to do good work, get paid for it, and be rewarded with a grateful “thank you” hand shake or other similar praise from the client. I’m working for a living, but also seeking those little clues that what I am doing is appreciated. The appreciation means the world to me, and when you don’t get it, it doesn’t feel good. For example, once the husband said “the wife has the check” when I was done, and he never even looked at the work I had done—and, indeed, didn’t care. As I drove away, I felt ripped off or something, so for me, I think if I lacked recognition, I’d lose my interest and move on.
In truth, I seek the trophies. I’ve told clients my intentions before the work even started, and I get positive reactions just from that. You can’t sound like the Terminator or avenging spirit; rather I introduce my intentions with pride. For example, on a poorly maintained refinish, I’ll say something like, “The before and after of what I’m going to do is going to be epic, and a five-star review would be awesome!” … and that’s how I set the tone from Day 1.
Now I pursue them constantly as a main point of pursuit. I don’t focus on the money at all, it’s just a consequence of following the NWFA guidelines. Instead, the trophies are like a carrot leading me forward.
Peer respect: I have some larger-than-life heroes in this industry and hold them high above me. I’d pay them just so I could sweep floors on their job and see how they do their thing from start to finish. When a pro like that sends a compliment or a mention on social media or in person about you, it’s like pouring gasoline on a campfire—it blows you up for weeks, and it’s like walking on air. I feel encouraged to keep going and live off the positive recognition and even posture my work to acquire more and more as time goes by.
Work ethic: I think that in order to love your job, you have to feel the pride that comes with naturally wanting to work hard and do your best.
Will to succeed: This becomes almost instinctive or like a natural reaction as you complete each contract one by one. For my part, I am still focused on completing a perfect refinish, and I mean perfect in the sense that if my heroes judged my work, they would not find a single flaw, even with a magnifying glass. That kind of goal is tough for me, but I chase it constantly, and I wholeheartedly believe someday I’ll get there.
Without these tiny little things, life as a flooring guy would dull and tiresome. Let’s face it, it’s a hard job to do, and I compare it to a cement contractor setting forms, or a roofer, drywaller or block layer. Lots of physical work coupled with the precision required can knock anyone down a few notches if there were no substantive motivation behind it.
I chose this trade (or maybe it chose me), and I’m not going anywhere. As the years roll by I’m aware of the highs and lows, and I seek the nice trophies along the way. And that is why I stay.
