Mindset story: The importance of finding meaning in your work

Out for a walk one morning, an old woman came across a construction site where three men were working. Curious, she approached one of them and asked what he was doing. Clearly annoyed that she had bothered him, he barked, »Can’t you see? I’m laying bricks!« When the old woman asked the first man if the work was hard, he answered that it was one of the hardest jobs he has ever had to do.

Not easily put off, she asked the next man what he was doing. He responded, »I’m building a brick wall 30 feet tall, 100 feet wide, and 18 inches thick.« Then, turning his attention to the first man, he said, »Hey, you just passed the end of the wall. You need to take off that last brick«. When the old woman asked the second man if the work was hard, he answered that it was a tough job but a job that could be done.

Still not satisfied, the woman asked the third man what he was doing. Despite the fact that he appeared to be doing exactly the same thing as the other two men, he looked up with excitement and said, »Oh, let me tell you! I am building the greatest cathedral the world has ever known!« She could tell he was eager to tell her more. But before he had a chance, he was distracted by loud bickering between the first two men over what to do about the one errant brick. Turning to the two of them, he said, »Hey, guys, don’t worry about it. This will be an inside corner. The whole thing will get plastered over and nobody will ever see that extra brick. Just move on to the next layer.« When the old woman asked the third man if the work was hard, he answered that it was his best job ever. The job gave his life meaning.