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

Chapter 17The Second Greatest Success Strategy of All

“How do I put love into action? What’s the best way to show I’m committed and invested?” asked Michael, who had been thinking about it all the previous night.

“Well,” said the carpenter, “the answer to your question happens to be the next success strategy I want to share with you. But before I share this strategy, can you get me a glass of water? I’m very thirsty.” Michael ran to the kitchen, poured him a cup of water, and brought it to him. The carpenter chugged it down in one giant gulp before asking Michael to get him a shrimp burrito from his favorite place. “I forgot my lunch today and am going to be very hungry at noon. I do my best work with a happy belly and my belly is happiest with shrimp burritos,” he said.

Michael thought it was a strange request since it was a few hours before noon but he ran to the burrito shop, which served breakfast and lunch burritos, and bought a few for the carpenter and himself. He sat in traffic for a while because a car was stuck in the road and he had to navigate a bunch of side roads to get home.

When he finally arrived home, the carpenter was outside in the backyard cutting the wood pieces that would make up the main part of the entertainment center. As soon as Michael walked outside, the carpenter asked, “Can you grab that piece of wood over there?” Michael brought over the wood and J. told him to place it on top of the other pieces. When they finished cutting the pieces he directed ...