There once was a sword-maker who wanted to be known as the greatest craftsman of his time. To that end, he demanded that people see what he was making. “How will people know my greatness unless they watch me work?” he thought. And so as soon as he would start working on crafting a new sword, he would get up and run out to the streets to tell the people that they needed to see what he was doing. Sometimes he would interest passers-by enough to come watch him work, but always, after a few moments, they would get bored and move on. He only worked when people watched, because he wanted credit for everything he did, so when people left, he would run back out to the streets and demand that others come watch what he was doing. He worked liked this for a very long time. Of course, because he spent so much time demanding that others see what he was doing, he never actually achieved very much. He created very little, and people only remembered him as self-centered man who didn’t give the world much at all.
In another village some miles away, there lived a monk who also made swords. This master craftsman, however, had no need for others to see what he was doing. He threw himself entirely into his work, and he did his work because he felt very accomplished by what he created. He produced so many unspeakably beautiful swords, that before long, people would travel from all over just to see him work. This master craftsman never looked up and never noticed others watching, because he was fully engrossed in what he was doing. Because he dedicated himself so completely to his work for the sake of the work, his influence became legendary.
People who demand that others notice the changes they are making are like the first sword-maker in this story. They want “credit” for every change they make, and they work much harder at trying to control how others experience them than actually working on what they are giving to the world. They tend to minimize the hurt they cause others and maximize the hurt others cause them. They are loud about offenses against them but quiet about the offenses they cause others. They are like the man who spent so much time demanding that others see his changes that he failed to ever really do much.
Challenge yourself to be the best version of yourself for the sake of your character. You have one life: Be a master craftsman at building your character.
Questions to consider:
* Are you more like the first sword-maker or the second?
* Do you find yourself needing others to notice every change you make or positive thing you do, or do you work on yourself for the sake of working on yourself?
