The next morning the house was quiet. Sarah and the kids were gone. The only sounds Michael heard were a lawn mower next door and the carpenter measuring a piece of wood. Michael shared his thoughts about love being a commitment and J. passionately added that it was also an investment. “When you love someone or something, you make the time to invest in it. I love everything I make, so I put all my love into it. It’s the same with relationships. We are meant to love others by investing in them. Unfortunately in today’s world, I see far too many people investing in things more than relationships. Even though I’m a carpenter I know people are more important than furniture,” he said as he measured another piece of wood.

Michael smiled but then searched his heart and discovered he was guilty of not investing more in his own relationships. At home he did a much better job than at work but still fell short, and with his daughter’s youth basketball team, he realized he needed to improve a lot.

The carpenter continued, “I tell everyone who will listen that even though I’m known for sharing success strategies, true success isn’t about money or possessions. It’s about people, commitment, loyalty, and relationships. In the end we won’t be measured by our bank accounts, sales numbers, wins and losses, or the size of the company we built, but by the difference we made in people’s lives—and we make a difference through relationships. So don’t be so busy chasing dollars and success that you fail to make a difference and build meaningful relationships.”

As Michael listened to the carpenter all he could say was “I know. I know. I know.” He realized he was guilty of focusing more on building his business than his relationships. He saw every client as an opportunity to build up himself and his business rather than just building a solid relationship like he used to do when he was in sales at his old company.

The carpenter knew exactly how Michael’s mind worked. He had worked with many clients just like him and noticed all too often that the more successful someone became, the more their relationships suffered. Everyone was so busy trying to make money they forgot that life is about people, not things. The carpenter knew what Michael needed to hear and continued sharing. He said, “Invest in relationships, not because you want something, but because you want to build something! Ironically when you focus on making a difference and building relationships, success will find you.”

“I want to make this a priority with my team when I get back to work,” said Michael.

“That’s great, because if you want to build your company, you must build your people. Invest in them and build them up, and they will love coming to work and will perform at a higher level. If you grow them as people, they will grow your company.

“It also works the same way with customers. If you want to build your company, love your customers and invest in a relationship with them. When you love your customers, they will multiply,” the carpenter said as he walked over to the plant by the window and held it up. “All things grow with love.”

Then he continued, “It works most powerfully with families. I tell people all the time that if you want to build your family, you must take the time to invest in your marriage and kids. I know you are really good about investing in your family but as your success builds remember to not ignore those who are closest to you. No one does this on purpose but the busier we get, the more our priorities get out of whack. Slowly and subtly we spend less time and communicate less with those who will be crying at our funeral and before we know it, we look around and we’re alone and feel empty. So make sure you continually identify the relationships in your life that need to be stronger and then make a conscious effort to focus on them, make time for them, develop them, and invest in them. If we make time to invest in our relationships and spend quality time with our family, friends, and colleagues, we will dramatically improve the quality of our lives and careers. I believe we are who we are because someone loved us. And your team and family will become who they become because you love them.”