Hit 500 complete engine overhauls last Friday and had to stop and think

I was finishing up a Cummins ISX rebuild for a fleet customer in Omaha when my foreman handed me the work order number. It was number 500 for my career. I started as a helper in 1998 and never kept count until about 10 years ago when I hit 200. Just surprised me how fast the numbers add up when you stay consistent. Has anyone else had a moment where a milestone snuck up on you in this trade?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenixp306d agoMost Upvoted

Do you ever have a buddy who just gets lost in the work and then reality hits? I got a friend, Tony, been a heavy equipment mechanic for like 25 years. He told me he was rebuilding a big Cat engine, just focused on the torque specs and cleaning parts. The shop manager came by and said "Hey, that's your 300th engine this year." Tony said he almost dropped his wrench. He had no idea, he was just doing what he did every day. He had to stop and count the rebuilds on his fingers to believe it. Sometimes you get so into the zone you don't see the pile up.

lucas1596d ago

I used to think 500 overhauls was just a number, but "how fast the numbers add up when you stay consistent" really hit me. It's easy to get caught up in the daily grind and not see the bigger picture until something like that work order number makes you stop. Honestly, that kind of perspective change makes me appreciate sticking with something for the long haul a lot more.