The Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All

Chapter 26Unfinished Work

The carpenter ran his hand along the table. “I built this table,” he said. “I built every table in here and also that bar railing over there. You know what they all have in common?”

“What?” asked Michael.

“They are all imperfect. They are all unfinished pieces of work. Yes, I call every one of my projects a masterpiece, but even a masterpiece has imperfections. Yes, I strive for perfection but I know it will never happen. There’s no such thing as a perfect piece of wood, and there’s no such thing as a perfect human being.

“Every struggle, every challenge, every failure is meant to help show us who we are in this moment and how far we have to go to become all we are meant to be. We see how imperfect we are and how much we fall short. We realize we are unfinished works of art, and our creator who made us with love is not done with us yet. Once we realize this, we can allow ourselves to be shaped and molded to become all that God created us to be. Your plan may not be working perfectly, but there’s a perfect plan working in you.

“So, you asked what you should do now. Learn from these recent failures and let them improve you as a leader, person, and builder. You’re leading the company through these difficulties at this very moment for a reason. All of it is meant to help you grow and become a better leader and, most of all, a better person. Have a little faith, a lot of courage, and continue to get better. I believe in you.”