By Victor Antonio, BSEE, MBA

I heard a story the other day I’d like to share with you.  Perhaps you’ve heard it... 

A man decides he wants to build a magnificent house.  He hires a contractor and tells the man to build the most spectacular house he can build.

 

“Don’t worry about the cost.” said the man.  “I will be back in one year and will then reimburse you for whatever material expenses and cost of labor it takes to build this magnificent house.” 

 

The contractor agrees and the stranger is off to return in one year.  The contractor gives the project some thought but decides to put it off for a while before starting.  He figures he has plenty of time to build this magnificent house.

  

As the months pass the stranger realizes he’s running out of time if he's going to complete the house on schedule.  He decides to finally get started by going out and buying the materials needed.  But, instead of buying the best material money could buy as he was instructed, he uses cheap materials that are readily available.  In a rush to finish on time he also decides to cut a few corners here and there thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal.  After a lot of patching and fixing to keep thing together he is done.

 

One year later to the date, the stranger shows up to view his magnificent house.  He looks at the house the contractor has built and asks, “Did you build the house with the finest material?   Did you hire the best labor money could buy?  Would you say this is a magnificent house?

 

The contractor, not  ready to admit that he took some shortcuts with labor and building materials, responded confidently, “Absolutely.  It is the finest house anyone can live in.”

 

“That’s great.  I’m glad you feel that way.” said the stranger “Because I’m giving you this house for you to live in.”

The contractor is stunned not only by the man's generosity but also by the reality that the house is less than magnificent. Would the contractor have taken more time and used better material if he knew the house would be his in the end?  Of course he would’ve!

Replace the house with your life.  Are you building the type of life you want or are you still building for someone else?  If you have a job you don’t like, you are no different than the contractor who is building a ‘magnificent’ house (business) for someone else.  When we build for others, we don’t give 100% of ourselves to the task at hand; that’s human nature.   And when we don’t give 100% we never attain the level of achievement we hope for because we can’t get excited about building someone else’s house. 

Our inability to give it our all leads to mediocrity.  Mediocrity over time is never rewarded or recognized.  The lack of reward or recognition leads us to believe that we aren’t worthy (i.e., worthless).  Once we talk ourselves into believing we’re not worthy because nothing good ever happens to us, our self-esteem suffers.  Once our self-esteem is sapped, we are no longer motivated to make any changes in our lives.

But here’s the rub-if you’re feeling depressed about your job because you feel inadequate, I’m here to tell you that it’s not YOU.  It’s the situation you find yourself in that is creating an inadequate you.  As long as you continue to build someone else’s house, you will never give 100%.  You will always operate at a sub-optimal level (i.e., below your potential).  But it’s not because YOU are sub-optimal, it’s because you are not building your house (i.e., your desired life) and find yourself in a sub-optimal circumstance.

It’s a vicious cycle if you think about it. 

When you work for someone else, you will never realize your full potential.  And as long as you operate at sub-optimal potential, you will always fall short of being great.  Falling short consistently reinforces in you that belief that you ‘really are’ sub-optimal.  In other words, your situation is causing you to behave in a manner that reinforces your feelings of inadequacy.  But it’s not YOU! It’s the situation you find yourself in that is making your efforts mediocre.

If the stranger had told the contractor that the house would be his after it was built, I can assure you the contractor would studied, planned and executed with a high degree of efficiency an architectural extravaganza.  He would’ve made every aspect of the house magnificent down to the front door keyhole.  But because it wasn’t for him, he elected to operate at a sub-optimal level.  The outcome had less to do with intelligence or money, and more to do with lack of motivation.  It’s hard to motivate ourselves to be at our best everyday when we know we are building for someone else isn’t it?

Three Don’ts

• Don’t fall into the trap of believing that you can’t do it because you’re not good at your current job.  You may not good at your current job because as long as you are building for someone else and not yourself, you will always operate at a sub-optimal level. 

• Don’t fall into the trap of believing that you’re not qualified or smart enough because you don’t have a position of leadership at work or you’ve been passed over for a promotion.  It’s not because you’re not good enough, again, it’s because you are operating at a sub-optimal level.

• Don’t wait for external validation to believe that you can be great at what you choose to do.  The materials to build your own magnificent house are all around you.  All you need to is study, plan and execute your life changing strategy. 

How long will you continue to build someone else’s dream?  I hope the answer is, “Not much longer!” 

I want you to consider investing in yourself.  I want you to believe in yourself.  And I further want you to know that if you wanted to, at any given moment, you can start constructing your own magnificent house (i.e., career, life).  The potential is within you waiting to be summoned by the right circumstances.  Take some risks and create those circumstances.  If you don't, you'll always operate at sub-optimal and never realize your true potential.

Start building your house TODAY...and let's talk one year from now!   Are you up for the challenge?  And remember, "Success Happens for a Reason."  

Victor Antonio

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Copyright © 2007 by Victor Antonio.   All rights reserved.  This article MAY be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, as long as the author’s name, website and email address are included as part of the article’s body.  All inquiries, including information on electronic licensing, should be directed to Victor Antonio.