Herbert Hoover, US president prior to FDR and a mining engineer, spoke about engineering:

“Engineering. It is a great profession. There is a fascination of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings jobs and homes to men. Then it elevates the standard of living and adds to the comforts of life. That is the engineer’s high privilege…..No doubt as years go by the people forget which engineer did it, even if they ever knew. Or some politician puts his name on it. Or they credit it to some promoter who used other people’s money…But the engineer himself looks back at the unending stream of goodness which flows from his successes with satisfactions that few professionals may know.  And the verdict of his fellow professionals is all the accolade he wants.”

I find the joy of helping build the projects just as satisfying (perhaps more) than the planning. We are fortunate to be involved in tangible work that let’s us be happy at the end of most days.