A simple version goes that a person walked past a building project and asked three workers the same question: “What are you doing?” The story high

The Three Bricklayers Story

submited by
Style Pass
2024-12-22 17:00:20

A simple version goes that a person walked past a building project and asked three workers the same question: “What are you doing?”

The story highlights how we can view our work differently depending on whether we focus on the immediate task, the short-term goal, or the larger vision. The first worker focuses on the task at hand, the second sees the outcome of their work, and the third connects to the broader purpose of the project.

Various tellings have the first worker hunched over or working slowly. The second and third workers take increasing pride in their work, often achieving more.

There’s value in all three perspectives. There can be a lot of pride and skill in laying bricks—or whatever your equivalent task is—as well as it can be done. Setting clear, intermediate goals keeps progress on track. And someone who spends all their time looking at plans or daydreaming about what the building will become may not lay bricks as well as they need to.

Understanding what I’m working towards and believing it’s worthwhile is a powerful motivator for me when the going gets tough.

Leave a Comment