Mr. Gordon uses an example that I have a lot of experience with and appreciation of. He describes the carpenter as one who builds. Please insert your personal metaphor here. Should you have never had the pleasure of building a home, a dog house of a shelf for your books, please juxtapose painting, plumbing, sewing, writing, gardening, music, dance, language arts, auto repair or quantum mechanics for it.
Because almost immediately you will sense what follows. The difference between the carpenter and the craftsman. The former builds things and the latter creates works of art. There are many elements that separate the two with impatience, apathy and ignorance being among the most common. If your hearts and souls are not in your work one of two things must take place for any meaningful improvement to occur.
One: You must see that the assignment is to combine every current attribute you posses into the task. All your experience, expertise, focus, patience, love and awareness must be part of the project, even if the job it to simply build a fence to keep deer out of your garden. You must see the Zen like quality of simply doing the best you can for no other reason than to practice this. It cannot be about wages, benefits, job security or because baby needs a new pair of shoes. It must be an extension of your collective wisdom and joyous development, an adventurous romp through life, a practice of gratitude, responsibility and forgiveness. There is nothing I have found more humbling that cutting a straight line with a hand-saw.
Two: You must find your calling. The aptitude that puts you before this awesome challenge on a regular basis. There must be meaning. It has to matter to you and to your team, community or tribe. This is inclusion into a group. You playing that important part. Many of the happiest people I know accept this as a mantra, where the most meaningful positions are the most banal.
There is a Greek word for this called meraki. It implies that one must add love, joy, pride, awareness and presence to each task. One must add a sense of wonder and awe as every individual movement plays a part in the process of creation. All this must be seen as an adventure, quickening the pulse and igniting the soul. If your tool of choice is not satisfying this criteria, find the one that does.
The legacy idea, leaving something behind, also implies that the story of the journey, the path of transitioning from carpenter to craftsman is important. Adventure, exploration, sometimes just taking that scary first step in the direction of change or challenge all play their respective parts like supporting actors and actress'. On this set the grips, assistants, gofers, drivers, make-up artists, effects generators and janitors all play Hamlet in their own way.
The hero of your story already knows this or this is the story of your hero learning it.
No comments:
Post a Comment