A Leap Month of Little Joys and Satisfactions: Getting One of Those Jobs Done

I was wondering to myself why I dislike some tasks more than others. What I think it all boils down to for me is that some jobs have either little positive feedback, or the negative feedback overrides the positive feedback. 

One of a dozen gouges in the wall from moving furniture up/down the stairs

Here's an example: I've been needing to repair the gouges in a wall for about a year. There's really very little positive feedback for me in this job. No one in my household will gush over how great the repair looks. I could easily find a dozen other jobs that would have more tangible rewards. 

Patch and Paint quick-dry spackling -- this brand is 3M Patch plus Primer.
This stuff is ready to paint in 30 minutes, needs no primer.
I use a straight-edged putty knife to apply and smooth the edges.

I'll have to hunt down all of the tools and supplies that I need, which could prove problematic because our tools and home repair supplies are not well-organized. And I could (and did) cause some sort of injury to myself in the process (I punctured my finger when digging through tools in the garage). 

When the gouge has rippled the paint, as in the left photo, I use an X-Acto knife to trim away the ripple.
The final image shows the same gouge after spackling.

So, can you see why I'd think there is far more negative feedback in the completion of this job? To counter all of this presumed negative feedback, I needed to build in some positive feedback that may only exist in my mind; but that could be enough in itself. 

Okay, so positive feedback on this job:

• I would gain more experience with minor household repairs, which would boost my confidence for future repairs
• I may even get good enough at this kind of repair that I could instruct or inspire someone else to do it
• I would notice how nice the repaired wall looks, even if no one else does
• a house in good repair is always easier to sell than one needing lots of work
• I would finish a job that I start, do what I tell myself I'll do, and become more accountable in my own mind, leading to improved self-esteem

the various gouges all ready for paint

So, I talked myself into taking care of this job. I think I tipped the scales in favor of more positive feedback compared to negative, even with a punctured finger. I'll hunt down the paint in the next days or so. I'm feeling pretty good about myself for getting this done. That's a win!