CHOOP wood, carry water.
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Is a mantra which Macauley Jones has repeated to himself a number of times during his debut season as a full-time driver in the Supercars series.
It has helped him focus after tough times - like when crashing during practice in the season opener at Adelaide - and what is driving him to keep pushing for improvements.
It is why, as he prepares for the challenge that is the Bathurst 1000, he is starting to feel more comfortable as a main game driver.
"I have a saying it's 'chop wood, carry water' you've just got to keep working and you will just get better and better," the 24-year-old said.
"There's been times where you're not enjoying it because it is very intense, but at the end of the day, it's a competition, so it's tough unless you're winning - which I never expected to happen to start with - but I've found my own challenges.
"After a few rounds of really beating myself up about it, I took a different approach to it. I've really just focused on areas I need to improve on and the process of it, because I think a happy driver is a fast driver.
"If you're coming into race meetings apprehensive of what can happen then that puts you on the back foot.
"I've been through the ups and downs of this year, especially after the start of the season, a huge accident at Adelaide which put me out .. that was a bit frustrating for sure and it puts you on the back foot with rebuilding.
"It was just not where we wanted to start, but I think we're are finding our feet."
Jones currently sits 22nd in the championship with his best finish in the Brad Jones Racing Commodore a pair of 16th placings at Winton.
He knows better things will come with more experience - something he concedes to most of his rivals - but importantly Jones feels like he is learning and improving.
That learning process will be helped by having Dean Canto, a veteran with 20 prior Bathurst starts, as his co-drive for the Supercars' Enduro Cup rounds.
"I knew coming in, guys like your Dean Canto's who have 21 years of experience, it's hard to combat against those guys that do have that much experience, but I've gained my own experience this year," he said.
"It's just that process. At the end of the day there are only 24 of us in the field and to be a part of it I am very grateful for and very lucky."
After placing seventh at Mount Panorama last year as Nick Percat's co-driver, Jones is eager to do better this Sunday. Yet he has learned not to place any big expectations on himself, rather he will focus on doing the best he can with the package he has.
"Bathurst, I think it's a very hard place to set targets, I mean everyone wants to win, but you don't know what you're going to get until you get there really. It's just got to be day by day and each day you try to make your car a little bit faster and just chip away at it," he said.
"You can't set too many high expectations because you can get disappointed.
"Anything can happen and it's just such a great race that I'm very excited."