There are three distinct phases of any project you take on in the garage. The first phase is the enthusiastic euphoria of confidence that comes when the handy guy or gal tells them self, "I can do this job. I have studied the manual. I have the parts, I have the tools, and I have the time. There is no way that I can screw up this job. I will ________ (fill in the blank) to my car and I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I have done it myself. I can show the guys back at the office how handy I am. And I will save enough money to take my significant other out for a lovely dinner."
And so with enthusiasm you begin. But soon you achieve the second phase of the arc that the At Home Mechanic experiences. The bolt that should "just unscrew" doesn't. And you soon realize that the manual failed to mention that "remove and replace" is far more involved than just "remove and replace." Maybe you cannot get the ratchet into the space provided and so you have to use a much slower wrench. The new part does not fit quite right. You may have banged your knuckles painfully or scraped a gash in a finger. But worst of all, creeping doubt begins to cloud your vision. "Maybe this job is more than I should be taking on. Maybe I will screw up my car and it will not run. Maybe I will be forced to have the car towed to a real mechanic. Oh, the shame of having to ask a professional to do what I cannot do. Imagine the humiliation of having to admit to the guys at the water cooler that I am not Man Enough to finish what I have started. Oh the ignominy of it all!"
Fear of humiliation is a powerful motivator. No one wants to look like an At Home Wimp so with the energy of desperation you press on. That bolt comes loose; a new angle allows you to get the ratchet into that tight spot. Rotating the hard-to-fit part a few degrees makes all the difference and it fits like it should. In time your confidence grows, the job goes smoother and before you know it you are wiping the grease off your hands with the smug confidence of a seasoned pro.
And this is when you have moved into the best phase of all projects for the At Home Mechanic. This third and final section is the "I knew I could do it" phase. And with no left over extra nuts or bolts on the floor of your garage, and your engine roaring to life you can take pride in knowing that you will have the best story to tell to the fellows at work tomorrow.