Pressure Washing

Over the last couple of weeks, I've become slightly obsessed with pressure washing every corner of our front patio and driveway. 

It began as an innocent project, inspired by a friend who shared that she uses a pressure washer to clean all of her rugs. It started with the outdoor rug, then led to the outdoor cushions, and then the front patio, the walkway, and finally the entire driveway. 

Have you ever pressure washed anything? 

The visual difference of the “before” and “after” is so deeply satisfying that I could have pressure washed the entire block, if time had allowed and if the hose was long enough.

Suddenly, the driveway was several shades lighter and brighter than it was before. It was magic! 

It made me think about Dan Pink's findings on Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

Surprisingly (to me), the satisfaction of pressure washing hits on all three. I had autonomy: control over what I was doing, and how I did it. I had mastery, as I could clearly see that I was making progress as each little patch turned lighter and brighter. And I felt a sense of purpose, as I could clearly see and feel the impact of creating a space that was more pleasant to be in (and more of a blank canvas for sidewalk chalk!).

As leaders, we regularly have opportunities to help others feel connected to a sense of autonomy, mastery, and purpose—and to notice when we might be craving those things ourselves. Sometimes the most satisfying moments are not the biggest accomplishments or the largest projects, but the ones where we can clearly see the impact of our efforts. 

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