The doorbell rang the next morning shortly after Sarah and the kids left for school. Michael opened the door and the carpenter was standing there with a big smile and dressed in the same blue jeans, sandals, and white t-shirt.

He gave Michael a big hug, something Michael figured he would have to get use to if he wanted his entertainment center built. “How are you feeling?” the carpenter asked.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” answered Michael. “Thanks for asking. So where are your tools and stuff?”

“Oh, I don’t need them. I won’t be building anything today. Before you build a masterpiece you must design it. It’s the same way with life, you know. Too many people go through life living by chance, but when you live by design and know the life you want to create, you are able to create a masterpiece instead of a piece of junk.”

Michael couldn’t help but think about what his life looked like. Was he living by chance or by design? Was he creating a masterpiece? Or, was he causing his body to burn out and fail?

“So tell me what you had in mind,” said the carpenter as they walked into the house and toward the family room.

Michael picked up a home design magazine from the table and showed J. the page that Sarah had earmarked for him. “My wife absolutely loves the look of this. Can you build something like this?”

“Of course. I can build anything. Now that I see it, I can design it. Do you have a piece of paper and a pencil?”

Michael reached into the “everything drawer” filled with all the kids’ pencils, markers, and erasers, pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil, and handed them to the carpenter, who immediately started drawing frantically. A few minutes later he lifted up the paper for Michael to see. “How does this look?”

“That’s it! I can’t believe you drew all that so quickly.”

“It’s a gift. I see it and I am able to create it.”

“Sarah will love it!” Michael exclaimed.

“Excellent. Now that we know what you want your masterpiece to look like, we can begin the process of creating it. And now I must ask you, Michael, a very important question beyond furniture: What does your life’s masterpiece look like?”

Michael didn’t know what to say as he shook his head and pondered the question. He knew they were going to talk about more than entertainment centers, but he didn’t know they were going to get personal about his life. “You know when you mentioned creating your masterpiece, I was thinking about whether I was creating a masterpiece or not. Truth is, I thought I knew what it looked like and I was on my way to building it with our company, but that was before I collapsed and went to the hospital. Now I’m realizing that without my health, I can’t create my masterpiece. I guess my picture of what it looks like is a little blurry right now.”

“That’s okay. Blurry things can be brought into focus with the right questions and better strategies,” the carpenter said as he lifted his arms into the air to stretch. “People often ask me, as you did the other day, why I am so busy and successful, and I believe it started with asking what success looked like when I started my career. I asked what it would look like while I was thriving in my life and career and what it would look like at the end of my life. I began with the end in mind and worked backward. I had a compelling vision for my life and worked toward making it come to fruition every day.”

“I know this well. We did the same thing when we started our company, Social Connect,” said Michael. “I read that every great leader and organization does the same thing. They see the world not as it is, but as it could be. Then, before they begin an initiative, project, product launch, season, or campaign, they ask themselves what the world will look like when they are finished. Once you have a vision of what could be, and know what the world looks like, you are ready to design, create, and launch. After reading about all the successful people and organizations that did this, we envisioned how we could change the world with Social Connect.”

“I love it!” exclaimed the carpenter. “And now you must do the same thing with your life. Now you must ask yourself these questions: What does it look like when you are at your healthiest, strongest, and best? What does your family situation look like while you are pursuing success in your work? Are you ignoring the people you love the most or making more time for them? What matters most? What priorities drive you each day? What are you doing that makes you come alive? What are you doing to live and share your purpose? When you look back on your life what do you want to be able to say about it? How do you want to feel? What will you have wanted to accomplish? What legacy will you have left? Years from now people will be telling stories about you, and you must ask yourself what kind of stories you want them to tell. Powerful questions like these help you design and create a great life.”

“Did you ask these questions of your life?” Michael asked, wanting to know more about where the carpenter found such profound thoughts.

“I did. And they made all the difference. They helped me create an amazing life and a very successful career. My children are grown and now have children of their own. And while my design did not include the loss of my dear wife, most times the perfect design must give way to the ultimate creator’s master plans. But the times we had together were the greatest moments of my life, and designing my masterpiece and my other success strategies made them possible. So in the end, when I look back on my life, I will smile at what I have done rather than regret what I haven’t.”

“I’m so sorry about your loss,” said Michael as he looked closely at the carpenter’s face. The youthfulness of his face defied his years but his wisdom did not. “You are much more than a carpenter, aren’t you?” he asked.

“I am indeed. Over the years I have built more than furniture and cabinets. I have helped people build their lives, careers, and teams. I didn’t plan it this way. It just happened. It is my purpose and I receive it. After all, material things eventually fade away. No matter how beautiful an entertainment center we build, it won’t last forever. It may not even last a lifetime. But the leaders and people I build up, the people I invest in, the relationships I develop, and the success strategies I share—that is what endures and ripples through eternity. While I’m excited to build this entertainment center with you, I’m even more excited to help you build your life.”

Michael rubbed his face as the carpenter’s words caused him to think of all the challenges that confronted him. “Will your leadership strategies help me be a better leader?” he asked.

“Of course! My strategies permeate every aspect of life. They help leaders lead, salespeople sell, coaches coach, parents parent, teachers teach. They are the ultimate success strategies that help people build whatever it is they want to build. Whether it’s a family, a team, a business, a school, a career, or an organization, my tools for success are powerful, and three of my strategies are the greatest of them all.

“But you won’t have to just take my word for it. You will be able to put these strategies into action. You can make them a habit and they will become a part of who you are and how you live and work. When you do, you will see how simple yet powerful and transforming they are. These strategies do not come from me but from my father and I have witnessed their power firsthand in my own life and the lives of others. Most people don’t implement them because they don’t believe it could be so simple. They think a strategy has to be big and complex to work but in reality the most successful strategies are extremely simple. Simple is powerful. Just remember that simple does not mean easy. You still have to take action.”

The carpenter coughed and then cleared his throat, which was becoming a little hoarse. He continued. “Here’s what I know, Michael. Our lives intersected that day for a reason. I wasn’t meant to just save your life. I was meant to help you create it. When we build a better you, you will build a better business that endures the tests of time. So, are you ready to learn more of my favorite success strategies as you begin to design your masterpiece?”

“Yes, I am but I have to warn you, it’s going to take a lot to turn this guy and this life into a masterpiece. I’m a little broken down as you know from my run the other day.”

“That’s okay. Some of my best work has been taking things that are broken and making them whole again. I’m up for the challenge. What do you say we go get the wood and materials we need for the entertainment center and I’ll share more on the way?”