With a sauna build, as with many things in life, there is an important balance between:
- What we visualize in our head.
- What we put down on paper.
- What ends up happening when we build it.
#1 and #2 are really good to do, yet #3 is where it all happens.  When we “field verify” our work we get better at:
- Visualizing things in our heads.
- Putting things down on paper.
- Making things happen in real life.
This process can be simplified as:
- Think
- Plan
- Do
Humans are unique in that we know how to make fire and type on a computer. But it is reassuring to know that the process of “think, plan, do” is not exclusive to humans. This is a simple system that works for any species.
Cat: ” I think I hear a mouse. I’m going to duck along the side of the house and check it out. Here I go.”
But if a cat gets intercepted by the neighbor dog,:”oh, shit!” well, it’s time for a change in the plan.
With sauna building, we like to leave some of the planning open, allowing for “oh shits!” and field verification.
We learn the most and make the best art when we field verify. Some call this process a feedback loop, or experiential learning, or Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
This exercise fuels us because it creates an insatiable learning appetite.
There’s more: when we are out there in the field, verifying our work, these aphorisms can help us along the way:
- Don’t be afraid to fail – we can fix anything when we build our saunas.
- Never stop learning – you never know when we may find a better way.
- Enjoy our journey – our sauna build is our gift, allowing us to achieve great satisfaction with the “doing” (not just the Finnish product).
Are you allowing for improvisation and changes along the way?
Are you field verifying your work?
