Fearless DIYer
THE RUB
The ice maker in our refrigerator is leaking. The escaped water freezes in the wrong places and prevents the mechanical parts from working correctly. I watched a few videos and felt confident that I could remove the ice maker to examine it and determine where the leak was to see if we could fix it or needed to replace the entire unit.
With safety in mind, I unplugged the refrigerator and went to turn off the water supply valve to the refrigerator. When I turned the knob, the handle twisted off the valve and a stream of water started spraying all over the back of the fridge. I sprung up off the floor and ran to the basement to turn off the main water supply. Then grabbed some towels to soak up the mess.
I’ve replaced water shutoff valves before, so I figured this was just an unfortunate extra step in my latest DIY project. After I had difficulty removing what I thought was a compression valve, I ended up cutting into the wall, calling my brother who is a plumber, and making several trips to the hardware store. On the journey, I discovered this valve was connected using a different method than I had ever experienced.
The day went on, and we didn’t have water, so back to the hardware store to get a plug to seal this pipe so we could turn the water back on. This was frustrating, and my internal critic started attacking my decision to yet again head fearlessly into a DIY project. “Focus on what you’re good at, and pay an expert to handle this type of work.”
There’s a solid argument to be made. I could have spent that time advancing my life goals in far more productive ways. But I would make the same decisions again even knowing what I now know.
THE FRAMEWORK
I’m a fan of doing difficult stuff because doing so works our problem-solving muscles and builds confidence. Having to stop everything to shut off the water, and then mop it up applies to work. Unexpected leaks pop up there in the form of emotional outbursts, missed deadlines, and over spending budgets.
Attempting projects outside of my comfort zone may not turn out the way I had hoped, but I usually learn so much from them. Maybe I don’t need to know all the ways a shutoff valve can connect to a pipe, but it is helpful for me to learn (and remember) most problems can be solved with time, expertise, and resources.
This problem gave me some great practice examining my options with urgency. The water was off, and we really like living with clean, running water. Ideally, the solution involved replacing the valve, but the primary need was to turn the water back on.
It reminded me of how powerful needing someone’s help is at connecting. I should talk to my younger brother more, but I don’t. This was a wonderful pathway to make my younger brother a hero and tap into his expertise.
The practice of tackling challenges is often more beneficial than the outcome. James Clear captures this approach:
”The loser has more in common with the winner than with the person sitting on the sidelines.
The winner and the loser each had the courage to try. Both risked embarrassment. Both were willing to face uncertainty. Both were stubborn enough to continue.
Success is endurance in disguise. It belongs to the person who can absorb the losses without absorbing the identity of "loser." It's the courage to start — and to stick with it — that is the real separator. Results tend to find the person who stays in the game.
The sidelines are safe, but sterile. Nothing grows there."
THE PRACTICE
Debriefing this fiasco of a project helped me articulate my credo as a fearless DIYer.
Try new things. Say yes to the project that’s slightly above your skill level. Take on the task you’ve never done before. The discomfort is the point. You don’t have to be reckless about it, but you do have to be willing to get on the floor behind the refrigerator.
Be prepared for a quick recovery. Things will go sideways. Pipes will spray water. Deadlines will get missed. The goal isn’t to prevent chaos. It’s to shorten your response time when it arrives. Know where the main shutoff valve is. Know who to call. Keep a few towels nearby.
Call your brother. There’s something powerful about needing help. It forces connection, creates space for someone else to be the expert, and keeps you humble. Who is the person you should be calling more? What would it take to make them a hero this week?
Debrief and learn. After the water was back on and the adrenaline wore off, I sat with what happened. What did I learn? How do I talk to myself under pressure? The debrief is where the growth lives. Without it, the failure is just a bad day.
Celebrate the growth. You did something hard. You stayed in the game when it got messy. That deserves recognition, even if the ice maker is still broken. Tell someone what you attempted. Write it down. Buy yourself a beer.
The sidelines are safe. But I prefer the messy growth.