Full Shovels

 When I was young, my maternal grandfather, "Gramps" ran a septic pumping and sewer contracting business (Forgive me for flaunting my white privilege, please). On a side note, one of the most spectacular things in my perspective as an eight year old boy was getting to watch Gramps dump several thousand gallons of raw sewage at the waste facility out in L.A. County one day. A seemingly never-ending torrent of poop!

Anyway, Gramps' profession resulted in him being able to dig a hole or ditch faster than nearly anyone I have ever known, and when I was a teenager, that seventy five year old man could outwork me all day long. Gramps instilled in me a strong work ethic; an almost pathological need to make sure all my work for the day is done before allowing myself to go off and play.

I spent a good part of one summer with him in the mountains at his hunting cabin, digging fence post holes and other chores. At one point we were in the process of digging a well where the dowser had indicated we'd find water. I remember him saying to me, "Full shovels, Jon! Full shovels! If you're going to the trouble of lifting a shovel all the way out of the hole, make sure it's all the way full, not just half-full."

That little lesson from Gramps stuck with me all of my life. If you're going to the trouble to perform a task, be sure that you're getting the maximum results from your efforts. Don't settle for partial results and inefficiency.

Full shovels, folks, full shovels!