Drill -vs- Drilling

The Drill Is Not To Drill
by Someone Who’s Tired of Watching People Buy Tools They Never Learn to Use

It’s not about the tool. You don’t really want a drill.

You want a hole. This is a statement my dad made to me when I was very young, and it was like a mystery at first. He’d heard it from his dad, and so on!

But let’s go a step further. You don’t really want the hole either.

You want the shelf installed… the one that will hold the books that inspire you, the pictures that ground you, or the things that remind you of something important.

And yet, we get stuck on the drill and spend hours at Home Depot, focusing on different drills that do the same thing.

We glorify the tool. We buy the latest one, show it off, maybe even watch a YouTube tutorial. But the tool isn’t the transformation. It’s not the magic. It’s just potential—cold, unspent, sitting on the shelf gathering dust.

In the Sufi tradition, it is said that there are two types of people in the world… Magicians and Mystics. The Magician uses tools, while the Mystic is the tool. Tools are important; they provide leverage, but YOU are the most important part of any tool.

Here’s the truth:

‘The drill’ is not the same as ‘to drill’.

Drilling is an action. It’s a choice. And more importantly, it’s a practice.

And to practice, you need two things:

1. The skillset – Knowing how to hold the drill, angle it just right, feel the resistance, and commit. This is technique, muscle memory, feedback loops. This can be taught, but it must be engaged.

2. The mindset – Understanding why drilling matters. Why it's worth the noise, the mess, the occasional misfire. Why the shelf matters. Why the transformation on the other side of the hole is something you’re proud to own.

Tools are cheap. This type of drilling is rare.

Because most people stop at buying a tool. They never build the mastery of it. They never sharpen their heart to a fine point so that the wedding of mindset and skillset has a chance to blossom.

So the next time you're tempted to admire the tool, pause.

Ask: What is my practice to learn to drill?

The hole, and the wall, the shelf, and the story—that’s what we’re really here for.

Go beyond the hole, and ask what drilling represents to you, what that makes you excited to be alive and working in this industry.

a BORROW SMART CONCEPT
The PIN/FIN Worksheet

My son is graduating from college in a few weeks and will start his first job in Charlotte, NC, in June. I’m really proud of the young man he has become.

We've had many conversations about money over the years, but he recently sent me a rather confusing spreadsheet that showed his income from his new job, his plans for fully funding his company's 401 (k), and his expected expenses.

He learned about the ‘3 Bucket System’ in 7th grade and has used it effectively through high school and college to manage his income and expenses. It was a foundation for managing cash flow.

Now that system will get engaged at a new level. He’ll have the direct experience of a consistent income and inconsistent bonuses, as well as expenses that he'll need to manage on his own.

This gave me a chance to engage with him on our PIN/FIN worksheet, which is part of our CALM Education at our nonprofit. You can find both here. The PIN/FIN spreadsheet is ideal for college students who are graduating. It helps them understand their net spendable income after taxes and guides them in creating a budget, so they know how much discretionary income they have to save or spend once they start their new job. 

If you have, or know someone with, students graduating from college, engage them to complete the first two tabs of the PIN/FIN worksheet. It can lead to interesting future conversations!

PS - ‘PIN’ is like your current situation, your cash flow, and ‘personal identification number’ on your bank card - it describes where you are now with cash flow and how that will impact the ‘FIN’, your ‘financial independence number’, which is your wealth creation and future retirement considerations.

LIABILITIES
What’s Happening?

• The dark blue line (T-bills, 4wk–1yr) shows a massive spike starting in early 2022, peaking in 2023. This reflects a flight to safety.

• Why? Likely due to:

  • Rising interest rates

  • Inflation fears

  • Banking system stress

  • Recession concerns

REAL ESTATE
What’s Happening?

ASSETS
What’s Happening?

ON BEING HUMAN
What’s Worth Sharing?

DOPAMEMES
And Other Happy Moments…

AI
and The Future of Work…

Borrow Smart University || National Institute of Financial Education