The Carpenter: A Story About the Greatest Success Strategies of All (Jon Gordon)

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For those who are just discovering the Carpenters or those who have been with us from the start and want to know every little thing about our career, this is the definitive tome,” Richard says. Parents are often concerned about the affect of technology on children. Gopnik points out that as much as we are seeing change now, past technologies like reading, trains, and telegraphs caused at least as much societal change as the internet. Yet now we barely think of these as technologies anymore. Technology is disorienting when it is introduced to adults because we no longer explore playfully (partially because our brains are less plastic, but also because we do not let ourselves). Our children will develop new techniques and new norms for dealing with technology. This does not mean that technology doesn't have an impact. Written text, fast travel, and instant communication have changed the course of human existence -- and not always for the better. New technologies such as the internet continue to do so. However, what we do not need to worry about is that our children will be adrift on the technologies of today. They will see them as natural. A consistent message throughout The Carpenter is what you believe to be true will become what is true. Truly, our minds are the most powerful and intricate “computers” on the planet and we must constantly program our mind and thoughts through talking to ourselves in a positive, encouraging manner. If you are ready to create your masterpiece, read The Carpenterand begin the building process today.

Remember that we all fail. It’s what we do after we fail that determines what we build in the long run. In a few shots of They Live, particularly in the scenes set in the alien compound near the end, you might notice the alien characters using strange, sci-fi-looking devices as communicators, and realize they look similar to props used as ghost detection devices in Ghostbusters. That’s because they’re the same props. According to Carpenter, the film was so low-budget that they rented various things from prop houses, and that’s how the got those devices.

1. Life and Success are About What You Choose to Believe

This premise of this book is a paradox. On the one hand, I felt like the carpenter and gardener comparison was well summarized in a few paragraphs in a WSJ article by Gopnik. On the other hand, I greatly admire Gopnik’s research in academia and trust her judgment in composing a book. You can! You can choose to see it! Life and success are about what you choose to believe. It’s easy to believe things will be great when everything is going well, but the true test of your faith is what you believe when you are facing insurmountable challenges.

The book opens with Michael in the hospital. He had been running through the city streets, thinking about ways to build his company, when he collapsed as a result of the stress he was under. A carpenter happened to be close by and saved his life. The carpenter had left his simple business card, so after Michael got out of the hospital, he decided to reach out to him to thank him. After becoming multi-million selling, Grammy-winning superstars with their 1970 breakthrough “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” Richard and Karen Carpenter would win over fans worldwide with a record-breaking string of hits including “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Top of the World” and “Yesterday Once More.” Book Genre: Adult, Business, Christian, Christianity, Inspirational, Leadership, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Religion, Self Help Two thousand years ago there was no separation between someone’s work life and spiritual life. Now we separate them and wonder why people are so miserable. Work is meant to be a spiritual experience, not a daily chore and a grind. All work is sacred.In this installment, she largely dissects two different models of what it means to be a parent: the titular gardener and the carpenter. The dominant model of "parenting" these days is the carpenter one: you set out with your tools and your blueprints to shape a young person into a fully formed young adult according to your own values and ambitions. In this model, parenting is a verb, something you do to your child, a one way, exhausting trudge to hone their edges into an acceptable mold. It leads to certain policies such as the emphasis on standardized testing, and learning ones letters instead of playing even from a young age. Everything becomes purpose driven. The key is finding the purpose that inspires you to be the mission. When you know your why, you will know the way and you’ll find a way. The love of what you are building has to be greater than the challenges you face.

The distinction among apprentice, journeyman and master carpenter can be a helpful guide in determining your potential carpenter’s level of experience. Additionally, you should ask for references and work samples to assess the carpenter’s previous work. AvailabilityIronically, Michael needs a new entertainment center and hires J. to build one. This is the start of a true mentorship where the carpenter teaches Michael his personal secrets to success in business and in life. Throughout the story, J. touches upon various topics including: Vision, leadership, sales, marketing, mentorship, value creation, serving others, relationship building, and purpose. The Golden Egg Design Your Masterpiece As an aside, one of the interesting things about reading is that readers have significant portions of their brain that are specialized for reading. This is despite the fact that reading has happened much more recently than could have been accounted for by biological evolution. The reading brain co-opted processing centers, such as visual centers which detect edges, to become so efficient that reading is both fluid and involuntary. The mind is incredibly adaptable. Gopnik calls the entire verb "parenting" into question, pointing out that no other relationship in our life is made into an action word in this way. We do not "husband" our wives or "daughter" our parents. Gopnik highlights another possibility: that instead of viewing parents as carpenters, we instead view them as gardeners. We provide the rich soil, the structured environment suited for the individual needs of our children, but where and how they grow is up to the individual vagaries of the seedling. We cannot ordain the height of a tulip, or the number of apples our tree produces. Instead we provide them with what they need, and hope for the best.