Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

Although widely attributed to Aristotle, this aphorism expresses a recognizably Aristotelian idea: excellence is not merely a matter of external results but of the agent’s disposition and pleasure in virtuous activity. In Aristotle’s ethics, the fully formed character takes enjoyment in doing what is fine and fitting; such pleasure is a sign that the activity accords with one’s trained habits. Read this way, the saying links craftsmanship and moral psychology: when a person is inwardly engaged—taking genuine satisfaction in the task—the work is more likely to be careful, complete, and excellent, because attention and commitment are sustained from within rather than forced by external pressure.