In the pursuit of design, I find myself coming back to the idea that work is completely intertwined with life. What we do comes out of who we are, and who we are, comes out of the life we live and the work we do. So how does that come to fruition?
In architecture, there’s a certain amount of fortitude required. Whether it’s pulling all night work sessions in college or developing the program for the next multi-million dollar job, giving up just isn’t an option. Now that doesn’t mean I don’t end up on crazy tangents, at times I do, but it’s the passion to continue that keeps me focused. It’s the desire to stay on track, all for the sake of a specific and attainable goal.
When it comes to making time for family and working on home projects and hobbies: the same persistence is required. My wife, the second architect, and I have two kids. They have kind hearts and strong wills. Now I didn’t have to teach much of that, it shows up because that’s much of who my wife and I are. Some of that determination exists in us naturally. It all plays into being a husband, parent, architect, and friend. It may sound easy, but it develops over years of practice.
The caution that looms is not overdoing it, in being able to say no to good things and stay focused on the existing goals. This is a real challenge, especially in regards to leaving enough in the reserves to deal with the unforeseen. That’s where flexibility and creativity come in because we can all understand the best-laid plans don’t happen without some bumps in the road.
All the skills for work and life are built from the same bones, success just lies in a good foundation; a foundation which ties work and life together into a single story.
