Walking customers around the house after finishing a painting job was either the most exciting or the most dreadful part of the job.

If I knew the house was perfect and I was proud of the job my crew did, it was exciting. I felt eager to show the customer the great work we had done on their house. I was not worried that they would pick out any mistakes because I knew they didn’t exist.

If I was unsure of the quality of the job, it was dreadful. I walked on eggshells all the way around the house waiting for the customer to point out something we missed. I knew there were mistakes around and I just hoped they didn’t point them out so we didn’t have to stay and fix mistakes into the night or be forced to come back the next day.

Both types of jobs existed, and the difference between them taught me how to provide a service. Never walk on eggshells. Never leave mistakes. Fix all the mistakes regardless of how many you think they will notice. Create according to your best effort and do not stop until you are truly satisfied with the quality of your work.

If you do that, you will love what you created. Your work will be an evergreen source of pride for you, not of shame.