Just got back from a brief and helpful visit with a friend who was struggling with a project. This one wasn't a woodworking project, however. He was working on his motorcycle. His attempts to change the brake pads on the rear wheel of the bike were unsuccessful. After an hour -- the job usually takes 15 minutes -- he was thoroughly disgusted. The parts should have fit but didn't, no matter how he tried to coax them into it. After watching him for a couple of minutes I asked a basic question: "Do the profiles of the new pads match the profiles of the old ones?" He thought a moment, then stopped and looked carefully, comparing old and new pads. Sure enough, they did not match up. "Damn!" he said. "I should have thought of that". Turns out the dealer had sold him the wrong parts.
I'm no mechanic, but the story illustrates an important lesson: many problems can be understood by simply observing. In all your work, not just your woodwork, take the time to look carefully. Observing, thinking, and observing again can make the difference between success and frustration.
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