“Once you design your masterpiece, you must be a craftsman in your approach to your life and work,” the carpenter said as they drove down the highway toward the store. “All success starts with being a craftsman.”

“But your card says carpenter on it,” Michael asked in an inquisitive tone. “Why not put craftsman?”

“Because everyone understands what a carpenter does. Having craftsman on the card would scare some people away. People feel comfortable with the term carpenter so I do it for marketing purposes,” he said proudly as Michael smirked. He was excited to learn the carpenter’s success strategies, but didn’t believe marketing was one of them.

The carpenter continued, “I get jobs as a carpenter but I approach my work as a craftsman.”

“What’s the difference?” asked Michael.

“A carpenter builds things. A craftsman creates a work of art. While most people approach their work with the mindset that they just want to get it done, craftsmen are more concerned with who they are becoming and what they are creating rather than how fast they finish it. After all, it’s no use finishing something if it’s not a work of art.

“As a craftsman, I know the things I build won’t last forever but I work and create as though they will. I pour my heart and soul into everything I build, knowing that all that I create is a reflection of me. When I create art, I feel energized, and I energize all those who experience my work. And with each creation I become more of the person I was meant to be.”

Michael stopped at a red light and turned to the carpenter. “Hearing you say ‘heart and soul’ reminded me of what your voicemail greeting says. I was surprised that you didn’t return phone calls because, you said, you were putting your heart and soul into your current project and that you would do the same for other people who called you.”

The carpenter laughed. “Yes, that’s something else I do for marketing purposes. It’s not a gimmick. It’s the truth, and I started saying that out of necessity really. I didn’t have someone who could return calls for me, so I had to decide what was most important about my work and I realized it was the art I created. I knew the work I do as an artist must come first and I couldn’t allow distractions to get in the way. So in my voicemail I told people the truth. I don’t return calls because I’m focused on doing the work and putting my heart and soul into it. If I spent all the time necessary to call people back, I wouldn’t have the energy to create great art. So people come see me during my lunch hour, we talk, and everything is lined up then. If I’m working at a place where people can’t visit, then I tell them they can meet me at my favorite burrito shop after I’m finished. It’s not a strategy I recommend for most people, but it works for me. The fact that I’m so busy tells me people are more interested in the work I do than how fast I return their calls.

“The world is filled with those who get things done the fastest and the cheapest, but it needs more artists, craftsmen, and craftswomen. When you become a craftsman in a world of carpenters, you will stand out and people will clamor to work with you.”