THE BIG PICTURE

There is a story about a traveler who while working along a lane came across three stonecutters working in a quarry. Each was busy cutting a block of stone. Interested in finding out what they were working on, he asked the first stonecutter what he was doing. “I am cutting a stone.” That response didn’t make any sense as even a fool would know he was cutting a stone. The traveler turned to the second stonecutter and asked him what he was doing. “I am cutting this block of stone to get a square shaped stone with uniform dimension for easy fitting in the wall.”

This was a bit confusing for the man, so he turned to the third stonecutter. He seemed to be the happiest of the three, full of energy and enthusiasm, and when asked what he was doing, he replied, “I am building a cathedral.” Until you have a mental picture of why you are doing what you are doing, the reading on your “creative-o-meter” and “enthusias-o-meter” would always be low, if not in the negative zone.

I always tell people that the big picture mentality empowers you to see the end right from the beginning. Someone said, the future you cannot picture, you cannot feature in it. In order words, when you know the end result of what you are doing, you would be able to forget those things which are behind and press forward till you achieve your desire.

Another thing it does, is that it gives you the strength and needed amount of energy to carry on irrespective of how painful or tedious the process is. When Jesus said in Matthew 26:39b that, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me” The big picture thinking of “My death would lead to the salvation of many” made Jesus say, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

Always remember that when you know why you are doing something, you would know how to go about it.

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