WILL YOU BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU’VE BUILT?
There once lived a man who was renowned for his work as a home builder. His eye for design, his commitment to detail, and his standard of excellence in every facet of the building process gained him a glowing reputation over the course of his long and decorated career. He was a craftsman in every sense of the word. But after devoting so much of his life to the profession, he was exhausted. He decided it was time to retire.
When he walked into his boss’s office and presented him with his two week notice, he was surprised by the response. “We are forever indebted to you for the incredible job you’ve done for us, and we are grateful for your hard work and sacrifice,” his boss said. “We do have one favor to ask of you, though. Could you please build us one more house? It’s one of the most important projects we’ve ever done, and it needs to be perfect.”
The home builder had always taken great pride in being assigned the biggest and most important jobs, but not this time. Outwardly, he smiled and nodded. Inside, he was annoyed. He was ready to call it a career, and this project would undoubtedly delay the retirement he’d been anticipating for some time now. Hesitantly though, through a deep sigh, he did what he’d always done. He agreed. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll do it.”
But while the home builder had agreed with his head to take on the project, it was evident pretty quickly that his heart was no longer in it. Building beautiful homes had always been something he felt lucky he got the opportunity to do. This project, on the other hand, felt more like an obligation - something he had to do…and it showed.
That commitment to detail and that standard of excellence that had always defined his work just wasn’t there. He contracted out as much work as possible, and while he made sure it met the local code requirements, it obviously lacked that special touch that separated his homes from the rest. He knew this wasn’t his best work, but he was over it. He spent most of his time dreaming of the future he couldn’t wait to build once this current project was complete.
After a few months, the house was finally finished. The home builder returned to his boss. “There,” he said. “I’ve done what you asked. Now do I have your blessing to retire?”
“Absolutely,” the boss replied. “There is just one more thing.”
“What now?” the home builder wondered as the boss slid open the top drawer of his desk. He pulled out a small, black box and with a widening smile, handed it to the builder. “Once again, we are so grateful for you and your commitment to doing great work. This gift is a token of our appreciation.” The home builder removed the lid to reveal a shiny new set of keys. “The house is yours,” his boss said. “You deserve it!”
Instantly, the home builder’s heart sank as the realization set in. He had been building his own house! If only he had known, he would have done so much differently. He would’ve used only the finest materials and ensured that every detail met the highest standards. He would’ve put his very best into it like he always had before. If only he had known, he thought to himself, he would've built something he was proud of. But now it was too late.
This short story, a version of which I originally read in Joshua Medcalf's book Chop Wood, Carry Water, serves as a cautionary tale and a great reminder that in a sense, each of us is building our own house, and that what we do today affects the future we are working to create for tomorrow. Each of us will have to live with the decisions we choose to make - for better or worse. And if we aren't careful, we may miss out on those opportunities we're presented with, just like the home builder did, and then - just like him - look back on our performance with regret.
So let’s learn from this story and recognize the power of our choices today. Let’s do whatever it is we’re responsible for doing with that commitment to excellence that defines our best work. And let’s build something we can be proud of. After all, we're the ones who have to live with it.