The Two Bricklayers
It was a hot summers day when Christopher decided to go for a walk through a new part of town that was currently under development. As he passed a construction site, he noticed a builder that was hunched over, his movements were sluggish and slow, revealing that he was tired. It was a hot day in the midst of summer after all.
Christopher was curious and asked: "Excuse me, kind sir. Would you mind telling me what you're doing?"
The builder paused for a moment, shrugged his shoulders and mumbled: "I'm laying bricks".
Christopher continued with his stroll, and a little further down the road, he came across another bricklayer. There was a noticeable difference between them. This man was energetic and humming a tune.
He picked up a red brick and buttered it with a measured dollop of cement. He then dropped the brick, buttered side down, with a 'plop'. Carefully he tapped it into place with the back of his trowel's handle and lined it up with his eye. He then picked up another brick and proceeded with the same enthusiasm.
Curious Christopher approached this man and said: "Pardon me. What are you doing?"
The man stopped humming, looked up at Christopher, and with a sparkle in his eye and a faint smile on his lips, he proudly said: "I am helping to build the most beautiful cathedral ever, where many people will come to worship and find peace in their hearts."
Why are you in business?
Why are you in business? And before you say: "to make money", think about this:
When I asked an audience of 70 people, mostly older men very well dressed, at their prize-giving function if any of them have their purpose written down, everyone put up their hand. But, when I ask them individually to share their purpose with the rest of us, they'll say things like "a red Porche, at the age of 50". That is a goal, that is not a purpose.
You don't live and get up in the mornings for goals (maybe some people do). But when he's got the red Porsche, it's not going to be six months and he'll be tired of the red Porsche. He's going to want something else.
That is the nature of our being.
So, why are you in business? Why do you get up in the mornings? What cathedral are you building, how are you building it, and why?
