Hit 10,000 bricks laid in a single week and my hands still ache

Last month I pushed myself to see how many bricks I could lay in five days. I hit 10,012 by Friday afternoon, which is way more than my usual 1,500 a day. My arms were shot and my fingers swelled up like sausages, but I proved to myself I can keep up with the young guys on a big commercial job. Has anyone else tried to track their daily count and found a number that surprised them?

2 comments

2 Comments

parker_campbell28d ago

That 10,012 number jumped out at me. I've noticed a pattern where people push themselves to hit a round milestone like 10,000 and then end up surprised by what they can actually do. It happens with more than just physical work too. I see it in how people save money or learn a new skill. They set a big goal that sounds crazy at first, but once they start tracking it day by day, they get way further than they expected. You proved you can hang with the young guys, and that's something that sticks with you long after the swelling goes down.

rowan_wells6728d ago

Did you ever set a goal like that and then totally surprise yourself by accident? I remember when I decided to learn guitar, told myself I'd just practice 15 minutes a day for a month. That seemed reasonable, you know, nothing crazy. But after the first week I was so into it I'd lose track of time and end up playing for an hour or more. By the end of the year I was actually decent, way better than I ever thought I'd get. The thing is, once you hit that initial target you thought was a stretch, your brain resets and suddenly the next milestone doesn't seem so impossible. It's like chasing a rabbit that keeps moving, but in a good way.