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Explaining the world one sketch at a time

Simplifying complex ideas through fun and insightful sketches. Explore topics from science, creativity, psychology, and more explained in pictures.

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a cool book.
— Bill Gates

Big Ideas Little Pictures: Explaining the world one sketch at a time

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Absorb big ideas with crystal-clear understanding through this collection of 135 visual explanations. Including 24 exclusive new sketches and enhanced versions of classic favourites, each page shares life-improving ideas through beautifully simple illustrations.

Perfect for curious minds and visual learners alike.

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Hi, I'm Jono 👋

I'm an author and illustrator creating one of the world's largest libraries of hand-drawn sketches explaining the world—sketch-by-sketch.

Sketchplanations have been shared millions of times and used in books, articles, classrooms, and more. Learn more about the project, search for a sketch you like, or see recent sketches below.

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Snerdle

How many things are much nicer than wrapping yourself snugly under the covers in bed and ignoring the world for a little longer? That's the meaning of the 18th-century dialect word Snerdle. Snerdle (verb) is from Yorkshire dialectologist Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary. He gives the definition of snerdle, with examples, as: SNERDLE, v. [snə̄·dl.] To nestle closely; to wrap up comfortably in bed; to go comfortably off to sleep. “Snerdle the child up; make it comfortable.” “The children are snerdling together nicely.” “I think the baby will soon snerdle off.” Shared by British lexicographer and etymologist Susie Dent in her book Word Perfect: Etymological Entertainment Every Day, snerdling suits a grey, chilly, rainy winter day—which is what we have here—or, at times, hiding from current events. Susie also lets us know: "Snuzzle, snoodge, and snerdle: all verbs in the English Dialect Dictionary for snuggling under the covers as though your life depended on it." Like snerdling? There's also the old Scottish word hurkle-durkle. Hurkle-duckling is revelling in staying in bed long after you should have gotten up. Aaah, bliss. More Fun Words Apricity: the warmth of winter sun Kaffikok: the distance you can travel before needing a cup of coffee Vorfreude: the pleasure of anticipation Schadenfreude: pleasure at someone else's misfortune Greeble: elements that give detail and scale and make something look more advanced Word spectrums Days of the week: the Norse gods among us The Order of Adjectives in English Tsundoku: acquiring books and letting them pile up without reading them Halfalogue: hearing half of a phone conversation The virtuous cycle of exercise and sleep…How many things are much nicer than wrapping yourself snugly under the covers in bed and ignoring the world for a little longer? That's the meaning of the 18th-century dialect word Snerdle. Snerdle (verb) is from Yorkshire dialectologist Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary. He gives the definition of snerdle, with examples, as: SNERDLE, v. [snə̄·dl.] To nestle closely; to wrap up comfortably in bed; to go comfortably off to sleep. “Snerdle the child up; make it comfortable.” “The children are snerdling together nicely.” “I think the baby will soon snerdle off.” Shared by British lexicographer and etymologist Susie Dent in her book Word Perfect: Etymological Entertainment Every Day, snerdling suits a grey, chilly, rainy winter day—which is what we have here—or, at times, hiding from current events. Susie also lets us know: "Snuzzle, snoodge, and snerdle: all verbs in the English Dialect Dictionary for snuggling under the covers as though your life depended on it." Like snerdling? There's also the old Scottish word hurkle-durkle. Hurkle-duckling is revelling in staying in bed long after you should have gotten up. Aaah, bliss. More Fun Words Apricity: the warmth of winter sun Kaffikok: the distance you can travel before needing a cup of coffee Vorfreude: the pleasure of anticipation Schadenfreude: pleasure at someone else's misfortune Greeble: elements that give detail and scale and make something look more advanced Word spectrums Days of the week: the Norse gods among us The Order of Adjectives in English Tsundoku: acquiring books and letting them pile up without reading them Halfalogue: hearing half of a phone conversation The virtuous cycle of exercise and sleep

✨ Latest

Skeuomorph

Why is the save icon in your software a floppy disk that no one has used for over 20 years? And that phone icon looks nothing like your mobile phone when making a call. These are both skeuomorphs. What is a skeuomorph? A skeuomorph is when a new design borrows practical elements from a former design and repurposes them in a functional or ornamental way. Skeuomorphs are practical because they make new systems more intuitive. Their comfort and familiarity can help bridge old and new ways. For example, some electric cars are designed to look like they have air intake vents like traditional combustion cars. More poetically, a skeuomorph can offset the loss of physical reality when interacting with our digital devices. Skeumorph examples Skeuomorphs abound in the digital world: The save icon is a floppy disk from the 1980s and '90s Microphone and speaker icons The bin icon for deleting files The battery icon on your computer The envelope icon for email Gears for Settings Storing files in folders Books apps displayed with bookshelves The magnifying glass to zoom The camera icon as a physical SLR camera The shopping cart in an online shopping site The 'desktop' Sliders and knobs, or even connecting wires, are made to look like analogue mixing desks and gear in music software (music software is awash with skeuomorphs) A link icon represented by a link of a physical chain A clipboard for paste Dials and levers or a funnel representing filters Shadows under boxes on a webpage simulate light falling on a surface to show depth Grab bars are indications of friction points where you can change the order of a list The list goes on and on. I once read that when designing, if you can't think of an icon for your feature in about five seconds, you probably need to write the word, as not everyone will understand it. Not all digital icons are skeuomorphs: the printer as the print icon and the folded page for a page layout still map to their physical counterparts. Physical skeuomorph examples include: Electric candles. Slot machine levers that change the state of a circuit rather than spin any wheels. Fake wood grain is used on floors or interiors. Haptic feedback—a simulated click when pressing on a touchscreen. Speed camera signs in the UK use a stylised visual of a classic Kodak Brownie camera. Rivets on jeans are from when fixing denim together required more than just stitching. Electric cars sometimes include imitation air vents at the front that cool traditional combustion engines. Car hub caps with spoke designs from early wheels. Textured wallpaper, such as Anaglypta, echoes leather wall hangings with scored patterns. There's even a design for an early car with a fake horse head on the front—though the inventor designed it to avoid scaring other horses on the road. A smartwatch isn't just a watch; it's a computer you wear on your wrist. Skeuomorphs can borrow sound also: The imitation shutter sound of taking a photo on your phone Simulated engine noise on an electric car Skeumorphs in Software and User Interfaces Software and the digital domain are ripe places for spotting skeuomorphs, as they don't have physical characteristics—it's all 1s and 0s that we can't see or interact with. Apple's early iPhone interfaces were famous for skeuomorphic elements, such as a Contacts app that resembled a contacts book complete with tabs—tabs are also skeuomorphic— and fake leather or paper effects in note apps. Skeuomorphs, like metaphors in design, are helpful. In a magic box that can do anything—a mobile phone—a visual connection to a physical object with a defined purpose helps immediately tell you what something might be or do. As the digital world gradually becomes the first interaction for so many uses, skeuomorphs may become less common. But we'll see them around for decades yet. Early skeuomorphs Skeuomorph is not a recent term. It was coined by archaeologist Henry Colley March by combining the Greek skeuos (σκεῦος) for container or tool and morphe (μορφή) for shape. Skeuomorphs have been used in art and architecture since ancient times. For example, they are decorative features of stone buildings that mimic structural elements from older wooden ones, such as protruding rafters. Ancient pottery sometimes includes decorative rope patterns on the surface. More About Skeuomorphs The BBC has a lovely radio piece on Skeuomorphs, Design, and Modern Craft with novelist Will Self. The piece discusses their subtler side and some great examples, some of which I've included here. In the same episode, they also mention the zombie walk with faces lit by the glowing screen from a phone. Related Ideas to Skeuomorph Also see: Affordance Common button states Dark patterns Desire path Fitts Law "The content is the interface"—Sam Moreau…Why is the save icon in your software a floppy disk that no one has used for over 20 years? And that phone icon looks nothing like your mobile phone when making a call. These are both skeuomorphs. What is a skeuomorph? A skeuomorph is when a new design borrows practical elements from a former design and repurposes them in a functional or ornamental way. Skeuomorphs are practical because they make new systems more intuitive. Their comfort and familiarity can help bridge old and new ways. For example, some electric cars are designed to look like they have air intake vents like traditional combustion cars. More poetically, a skeuomorph can offset the loss of physical reality when interacting with our digital devices. Skeumorph examples Skeuomorphs abound in the digital world: The save icon is a floppy disk from the 1980s and '90s Microphone and speaker icons The bin icon for deleting files The battery icon on your computer The envelope icon for email Gears for Settings Storing files in folders Books apps displayed with bookshelves The magnifying glass to zoom The camera icon as a physical SLR camera The shopping cart in an online shopping site The 'desktop' Sliders and knobs, or even connecting wires, are made to look like analogue mixing desks and gear in music software (music software is awash with skeuomorphs) A link icon represented by a link of a physical chain A clipboard for paste Dials and levers or a funnel representing filters Shadows under boxes on a webpage simulate light falling on a surface to show depth Grab bars are indications of friction points where you can change the order of a list The list goes on and on. I once read that when designing, if you can't think of an icon for your feature in about five seconds, you probably need to write the word, as not everyone will understand it. Not all digital icons are skeuomorphs: the printer as the print icon and the folded page for a page layout still map to their physical counterparts. Physical skeuomorph examples include: Electric candles. Slot machine levers that change the state of a circuit rather than spin any wheels. Fake wood grain is used on floors or interiors. Haptic feedback—a simulated click when pressing on a touchscreen. Speed camera signs in the UK use a stylised visual of a classic Kodak Brownie camera. Rivets on jeans are from when fixing denim together required more than just stitching. Electric cars sometimes include imitation air vents at the front that cool traditional combustion engines. Car hub caps with spoke designs from early wheels. Textured wallpaper, such as Anaglypta, echoes leather wall hangings with scored patterns. There's even a design for an early car with a fake horse head on the front—though the inventor designed it to avoid scaring other horses on the road. A smartwatch isn't just a watch; it's a computer you wear on your wrist. Skeuomorphs can borrow sound also: The imitation shutter sound of taking a photo on your phone Simulated engine noise on an electric car Skeumorphs in Software and User Interfaces Software and the digital domain are ripe places for spotting skeuomorphs, as they don't have physical characteristics—it's all 1s and 0s that we can't see or interact with. Apple's early iPhone interfaces were famous for skeuomorphic elements, such as a Contacts app that resembled a contacts book complete with tabs—tabs are also skeuomorphic— and fake leather or paper effects in note apps. Skeuomorphs, like metaphors in design, are helpful. In a magic box that can do anything—a mobile phone—a visual connection to a physical object with a defined purpose helps immediately tell you what something might be or do. As the digital world gradually becomes the first interaction for so many uses, skeuomorphs may become less common. But we'll see them around for decades yet. Early skeuomorphs Skeuomorph is not a recent term. It was coined by archaeologist Henry Colley March by combining the Greek skeuos (σκεῦος) for container or tool and morphe (μορφή) for shape. Skeuomorphs have been used in art and architecture since ancient times. For example, they are decorative features of stone buildings that mimic structural elements from older wooden ones, such as protruding rafters. Ancient pottery sometimes includes decorative rope patterns on the surface. More About Skeuomorphs The BBC has a lovely radio piece on Skeuomorphs, Design, and Modern Craft with novelist Will Self. The piece discusses their subtler side and some great examples, some of which I've included here. In the same episode, they also mention the zombie walk with faces lit by the glowing screen from a phone. Related Ideas to Skeuomorph Also see: Affordance Common button states Dark patterns Desire path Fitts Law "The content is the interface"—Sam Moreau

19 Jan

Feedback Analysis

Feedback analysis is a technique to improve judgment and discover your strengths. It could hardly be more simple: Write down what you think will happen whenever you make a key decision. In 9–12 months, compare what you predicted against what has happened. Repeat. How does Feedback Analysis help? I learned about feedback analysis from management consultant Peter Drucker in the small Harvard Business Review read Managing Oneself. He argues that we can only make our most significant contributions when we act from our strengths. Most people don't know their strengths, so the first step is to discover them. Feedback analysis helps you do this. Feedback analysis reveals your strengths by showing you where you are right in your predictions and which of your intended actions achieve what you hoped. It also shows you your weaknesses, where your expectations are consistently wrong, and where your actions fall short. Drucker suggests, "First and foremost, concentrate on your strengths. Put yourself where your strengths can produce results." The Opportunity to do What I do Best Every Day One of my favourite self-management reads is Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. It also argues that we have the most significant impact, not when we focus on fixing areas where we are weak but when we can make full use of our strengths. The five greatest strengths I learned from that book are valuable for me to reflect on today. In fact, Sketchplanations is in some way a reflection of this: Ideation – you can probably tell I am drawn to and full of ideas. Achiever - consistently creating and moving on. Relator - okay, less so this one, unless it's relating through writing and sharing. Being a relator is about building strong 1:1 relationships. Learner - I am always adding to my stock of concepts. Focus - making space to stay on task and get things done. I like to ask myself and my team members: "Do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?" Then, we get the best out of ourselves and others. Examples of Feedback Analysis Some situations where you might put feedback analysis into action: Taking a new job Hiring a new teammate Moving house Getting a pet Launching a new product Taking a course or learning a new skill Making predictions for your year Write your "Drucker Memo" Dan Pink has a 3-minute video summary of this technique in his Pinkcast. He says it's useful for at least 3 reasons: It helps you see your blind spots. It's a great way to understand your strengths. It makes him a little bolder—after being consistently a little pessimistic in expectations, it caused him to try more new things. Dan says he takes a moment to write his expectations in his "Drucker memo" when beginning each new project. He then files it away and schedules a reminder in 6 months to take a look and see if his expectations are accurate. Simple. Have you got any big decisions coming up? Maybe give feedback analysis a try. Related Ideas to Feedback Analysis Also see: Personal Panel of Advisors The OODA Loop Mistakes Replicate then Innovate The Tyranny of Small Decisions The Johari window Notes Peter Drucker is known, among other things, for coining the term "knowledge worker." "I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day" is one of the 12 Elements of Great Managing.…Feedback analysis is a technique to improve judgment and discover your strengths. It could hardly be more simple: Write down what you think will happen whenever you make a key decision. In 9–12 months, compare what you predicted against what has happened. Repeat. How does Feedback Analysis help? I learned about feedback analysis from management consultant Peter Drucker in the small Harvard Business Review read Managing Oneself. He argues that we can only make our most significant contributions when we act from our strengths. Most people don't know their strengths, so the first step is to discover them. Feedback analysis helps you do this. Feedback analysis reveals your strengths by showing you where you are right in your predictions and which of your intended actions achieve what you hoped. It also shows you your weaknesses, where your expectations are consistently wrong, and where your actions fall short. Drucker suggests, "First and foremost, concentrate on your strengths. Put yourself where your strengths can produce results." The Opportunity to do What I do Best Every Day One of my favourite self-management reads is Strengthsfinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. It also argues that we have the most significant impact, not when we focus on fixing areas where we are weak but when we can make full use of our strengths. The five greatest strengths I learned from that book are valuable for me to reflect on today. In fact, Sketchplanations is in some way a reflection of this: Ideation – you can probably tell I am drawn to and full of ideas. Achiever - consistently creating and moving on. Relator - okay, less so this one, unless it's relating through writing and sharing. Being a relator is about building strong 1:1 relationships. Learner - I am always adding to my stock of concepts. Focus - making space to stay on task and get things done. I like to ask myself and my team members: "Do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?" Then, we get the best out of ourselves and others. Examples of Feedback Analysis Some situations where you might put feedback analysis into action: Taking a new job Hiring a new teammate Moving house Getting a pet Launching a new product Taking a course or learning a new skill Making predictions for your year Write your "Drucker Memo" Dan Pink has a 3-minute video summary of this technique in his Pinkcast. He says it's useful for at least 3 reasons: It helps you see your blind spots. It's a great way to understand your strengths. It makes him a little bolder—after being consistently a little pessimistic in expectations, it caused him to try more new things. Dan says he takes a moment to write his expectations in his "Drucker memo" when beginning each new project. He then files it away and schedules a reminder in 6 months to take a look and see if his expectations are accurate. Simple. Have you got any big decisions coming up? Maybe give feedback analysis a try. Related Ideas to Feedback Analysis Also see: Personal Panel of Advisors The OODA Loop Mistakes Replicate then Innovate The Tyranny of Small Decisions The Johari window Notes Peter Drucker is known, among other things, for coining the term "knowledge worker." "I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day" is one of the 12 Elements of Great Managing.

12 Jan

Yes Sayers are Rewarded by Adventure, No Sayers are Rewarded by Safety

Improv veteran Keith Johnstone shares: There are people who prefer to say "Yes," and there are people who prefer to say "No." Those who say "Yes" are rewarded by the adventures they have, and those who say "No" are rewarded by the safety they attain. There are far more "No" sayers around than "Yes" sayers, but you can train one type to behave like the other. I can't help but put pressure on myself to be a yes-sayer. Perhaps it's the vague belief that saying yes will lead to a fuller life and range of experiences and that saying "no" is the easy option. And somehow, the easy option in my mind can seem like the wrong option. That's why I liked Keith Johnstone's framing for yes-sayers and no-sayers, as it clearly shows the rewards for taking either route in a decision, not just one. If you are improvising, saying yes and accepting offers takes you to situations that may not feel comfortable but give you new experiences. Saying no keeps you where you are. Your situation is known and safe, and you feel good for that reason. In life, we never have to be exclusively yes or exclusively no. And it doesn't have to be white-water kayaking for yes-sayers and reading books at home for no-sayers. But certainly, there are different joys in each path. I love both: the nerves and excitement of new experiences and the comfort and safety of the known and predictable. We needn't bucket ourselves into one or the other. An adventure, even a microadventure, almost by definition, is the result of saying yes. And, like Type II fun, it can be rewarding and fulfilling. But balancing adventure with the safety and calm of staying in one's comfort zone at times feels nice to me. Related Ideas to Yes Sayers, No Sayers And more improv: Accept offers Be spontaneous Microadventure The bandwagon effect Only dead fish go with the flow "The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces"—in my book Big Ideas Little Pictures Abraham Maslow, known for Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, shared: "One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." The quote is from Keith Johnstone's book Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, Theatre Arts Books, 1979, as quoted in Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson.…Improv veteran Keith Johnstone shares: There are people who prefer to say "Yes," and there are people who prefer to say "No." Those who say "Yes" are rewarded by the adventures they have, and those who say "No" are rewarded by the safety they attain. There are far more "No" sayers around than "Yes" sayers, but you can train one type to behave like the other. I can't help but put pressure on myself to be a yes-sayer. Perhaps it's the vague belief that saying yes will lead to a fuller life and range of experiences and that saying "no" is the easy option. And somehow, the easy option in my mind can seem like the wrong option. That's why I liked Keith Johnstone's framing for yes-sayers and no-sayers, as it clearly shows the rewards for taking either route in a decision, not just one. If you are improvising, saying yes and accepting offers takes you to situations that may not feel comfortable but give you new experiences. Saying no keeps you where you are. Your situation is known and safe, and you feel good for that reason. In life, we never have to be exclusively yes or exclusively no. And it doesn't have to be white-water kayaking for yes-sayers and reading books at home for no-sayers. But certainly, there are different joys in each path. I love both: the nerves and excitement of new experiences and the comfort and safety of the known and predictable. We needn't bucket ourselves into one or the other. An adventure, even a microadventure, almost by definition, is the result of saying yes. And, like Type II fun, it can be rewarding and fulfilling. But balancing adventure with the safety and calm of staying in one's comfort zone at times feels nice to me. Related Ideas to Yes Sayers, No Sayers And more improv: Accept offers Be spontaneous Microadventure The bandwagon effect Only dead fish go with the flow "The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces"—in my book Big Ideas Little Pictures Abraham Maslow, known for Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, shared: "One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again." The quote is from Keith Johnstone's book Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre, Theatre Arts Books, 1979, as quoted in Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson.

5 Jan

Rückenfigur

Ever taken a photo of a scene where someone is standing with their back to the camera, looking out at the view? That's Rückenfigur, a German word derived from Rücken (back) and Figur (figure), which roughly translates to "figure seen from behind." Rückenfigur is a technique in composition where a person is included in the scene facing out to the view rather than at the viewer. It's associated with German Romantic painting and the artist Caspar David Friedrich, who painted many paintings in this style. I like Rückenfigur's ability to invite you to consider the person's perspective in the scene and what they're experiencing looking out. Especially as it's often used with grand scenes from Nature, I find Rückenfigur helps me appreciate the grandeur and wonder they may feel. When I learned about the term, I realised that I use it all the time in photography. In photos, however, I think there are other good practical reasons to employ Rückenfigur, such as: Focusing on the scene Without showing a face, the viewer's attention is drawn to the landscape, not the individual. Adding scale and context A person in the frame provides a sense of size and invites contemplation from their perspective. Privacy and shareability Travel photos with friends or family members facing away are easier to share. No face awkwardness Like painting, photographing faces has a lot that can go wrong: people can have their eyes shut, be squinting, have an odd smile, no smile, bad hair...not having a visible person is more reliable. When I see a beautiful scene such as this, somehow having a person there looking out helps put me in that person's shoes and experience that wonder again. And I think that's often what I'm trying to capture in a photo of Nature. Or perhaps Friedrich started it because painting faces is hard? The sketch is based on a photo I took in the breathtaking Jonkershoek Nature Reserve in South Africa in 2010. Related Ideas to Rückenfigur Also see: Atmospheric perspective The Golden Ratio Hitched to Everything Else in the Universe The Rule of 3rds Notes Rucksack has a similar derivation translating to backpack.…Ever taken a photo of a scene where someone is standing with their back to the camera, looking out at the view? That's Rückenfigur, a German word derived from Rücken (back) and Figur (figure), which roughly translates to "figure seen from behind." Rückenfigur is a technique in composition where a person is included in the scene facing out to the view rather than at the viewer. It's associated with German Romantic painting and the artist Caspar David Friedrich, who painted many paintings in this style. I like Rückenfigur's ability to invite you to consider the person's perspective in the scene and what they're experiencing looking out. Especially as it's often used with grand scenes from Nature, I find Rückenfigur helps me appreciate the grandeur and wonder they may feel. When I learned about the term, I realised that I use it all the time in photography. In photos, however, I think there are other good practical reasons to employ Rückenfigur, such as: Focusing on the scene Without showing a face, the viewer's attention is drawn to the landscape, not the individual. Adding scale and context A person in the frame provides a sense of size and invites contemplation from their perspective. Privacy and shareability Travel photos with friends or family members facing away are easier to share. No face awkwardness Like painting, photographing faces has a lot that can go wrong: people can have their eyes shut, be squinting, have an odd smile, no smile, bad hair...not having a visible person is more reliable. When I see a beautiful scene such as this, somehow having a person there looking out helps put me in that person's shoes and experience that wonder again. And I think that's often what I'm trying to capture in a photo of Nature. Or perhaps Friedrich started it because painting faces is hard? The sketch is based on a photo I took in the breathtaking Jonkershoek Nature Reserve in South Africa in 2010. Related Ideas to Rückenfigur Also see: Atmospheric perspective The Golden Ratio Hitched to Everything Else in the Universe The Rule of 3rds Notes Rucksack has a similar derivation translating to backpack.

29 Dec 2024

The Three Bricklayers Story

The Three Bricklayers’ story illustrates the power of purpose. What is the 3 Bricklayers Story? A simple version goes that a person walked past a building project and asked three workers the same question: “What are you doing?” The first replied, “I’m laying bricks.” The second replied, “I’m building a wall.” And the third replied, “I’m creating a cathedral.” The story highlights how we can view our work differently depending on whether we focus on the immediate task, the short-term goal, or the larger vision. The first worker focuses on the task at hand, the second sees the outcome of their work, and the third connects to the broader purpose of the project. Various tellings have the first worker hunched over or working slowly. The second and third workers take increasing pride in their work, often achieving more. Finding Balance in Work There’s value in all three perspectives. There can be a lot of pride and skill in laying bricks—or whatever your equivalent task is—as well as it can be done. Setting clear, intermediate goals keeps progress on track. And someone who spends all their time looking at plans or daydreaming about what the building will become may not lay bricks as well as they need to. To do something well, we probably need a balance of all three aspects: Pride and skill in detail and craft Progress through clear intermediate goals Vision and meaning for our work Understanding what I’m working towards and believing it’s worthwhile is a powerful motivator for me when the going gets tough. This post isn’t really about cathedrals, but I studied the brilliant Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí in my teens. As a real-life cathedral metaphor, his incredible Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona is a striking example. Gaudí’s vision for the basilica has inspired generations of artisans and workers since he took over the project in 1882. Execution, however, has been a challenge, with construction ongoing today. But that hasn’t stopped it from inspiring and drawing in visitors for decades. I like the three bricklayers parable as a reminder that when I’m grinding on something, it helps to reconnect with the why behind my effort. Origins of the 3 Bricklayers Parable Like many parables, this story has been told in different forms. An early version appears in Bruce Barton’s 1927 book What Can a Man Believe (p252), featuring Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London after the Great Fire of 1666. “One morning he passed among the workmen, most of whom did not know him, and of three different men engaged in the same kind of work he asked the same question: ‘What are you doing?’ From the first he received the answer: ‘I am cutting this stone.’ From the second the answer was: ‘I am earning three shillings and six pence a day.’ But the third man straightened up, squared his shoulders, and holding his mallet in one hand and chisel in the other, proudly replied: ‘I am helping Sir Christopher Wren to build this great cathedral.’” It’s hard to believe it happened, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be helpful. Related Ideas to the 3 Bricklayers Story Also see: Autonomy Mastery Purpose The Blind and the Elephant Hope Flow Goldilocks Tasks Find Your Why Not The Story Spine Forcing Function…The Three Bricklayers’ story illustrates the power of purpose. What is the 3 Bricklayers Story? A simple version goes that a person walked past a building project and asked three workers the same question: “What are you doing?” The first replied, “I’m laying bricks.” The second replied, “I’m building a wall.” And the third replied, “I’m creating a cathedral.” The story highlights how we can view our work differently depending on whether we focus on the immediate task, the short-term goal, or the larger vision. The first worker focuses on the task at hand, the second sees the outcome of their work, and the third connects to the broader purpose of the project. Various tellings have the first worker hunched over or working slowly. The second and third workers take increasing pride in their work, often achieving more. Finding Balance in Work There’s value in all three perspectives. There can be a lot of pride and skill in laying bricks—or whatever your equivalent task is—as well as it can be done. Setting clear, intermediate goals keeps progress on track. And someone who spends all their time looking at plans or daydreaming about what the building will become may not lay bricks as well as they need to. To do something well, we probably need a balance of all three aspects: Pride and skill in detail and craft Progress through clear intermediate goals Vision and meaning for our work Understanding what I’m working towards and believing it’s worthwhile is a powerful motivator for me when the going gets tough. This post isn’t really about cathedrals, but I studied the brilliant Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí in my teens. As a real-life cathedral metaphor, his incredible Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona is a striking example. Gaudí’s vision for the basilica has inspired generations of artisans and workers since he took over the project in 1882. Execution, however, has been a challenge, with construction ongoing today. But that hasn’t stopped it from inspiring and drawing in visitors for decades. I like the three bricklayers parable as a reminder that when I’m grinding on something, it helps to reconnect with the why behind my effort. Origins of the 3 Bricklayers Parable Like many parables, this story has been told in different forms. An early version appears in Bruce Barton’s 1927 book What Can a Man Believe (p252), featuring Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London after the Great Fire of 1666. “One morning he passed among the workmen, most of whom did not know him, and of three different men engaged in the same kind of work he asked the same question: ‘What are you doing?’ From the first he received the answer: ‘I am cutting this stone.’ From the second the answer was: ‘I am earning three shillings and six pence a day.’ But the third man straightened up, squared his shoulders, and holding his mallet in one hand and chisel in the other, proudly replied: ‘I am helping Sir Christopher Wren to build this great cathedral.’” It’s hard to believe it happened, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be helpful. Related Ideas to the 3 Bricklayers Story Also see: Autonomy Mastery Purpose The Blind and the Elephant Hope Flow Goldilocks Tasks Find Your Why Not The Story Spine Forcing Function

22 Dec 2024

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