Motivation is one of my favorite topics to explore with the people who visit my office. No matter someone’s role, background, or stage of life, the question of “what keeps us going?” tends to come up again and again. One of the simplest and most effective ways I’ve found to start that conversation is through a well-known story: the parable of the three bricklayers.
The Parable of the Three Bricklayers
In this story, a passerby comes across three individuals working side by side, each performing the same task. Curious, he asks the first bricklayer what he is doing. The man responds plainly, “I’m building a wall.”
When he asks the second, the answer is slightly broader: “I’m building a church.”
Finally, the third bricklayer responds with a sense of pride and purpose: “I’m building the house of God.”
Why Perspective Matters More Than the Work Itself
What makes this story so powerful is not the work itself, but the difference in how each person sees it. On the surface, they are all doing the same thing, laying bricks. Yet their perspectives completely shape the meaning of their work.
- The first sees a task
- The second sees a project
- The third sees a calling
That difference matters more than we might realize. Our perspective shapes how we describe what we do and how we feel while doing it.
Someone who sees their work as just a task to complete may feel disengaged or indifferent. Someone who connects their work to a larger goal may feel more invested. And someone who sees their work as part of something deeply meaningful is far more likely to feel motivated, energized, and fulfilled.
How Perspective Impacts Motivation in Daily Life
You can see this play out in so many areas of life.
In Your Work
Two people can hold the same position with similar responsibilities, yet have completely different experiences. One may feel stuck, counting the minutes until the day ends. The other may feel challenged and purposeful, seeing their role as contributing to something bigger.
Often, the difference isn’t the job itself. It’s the lens through which the job is viewed.
In Your Personal Life
This shows up in our personal lives, too. Responsibilities like parenting, studying, or even maintaining a household can feel like burdens or meaningful contributions, depending on how we frame them.
When we focus only on the immediate effort required, it’s easy to lose motivation. But when we connect those efforts to something bigger, like our values, our relationships, or our long-term goals, they tend to feel more worthwhile.
You Have More Control Over Meaning Than You Think
This doesn’t mean ignoring the realities of difficult or repetitive work. Not every task is exciting, and simply thinking positively isn’t a cure-all.
Still, the bricklayers’ story reminds us that we often have more influence than we think over how we experience what we do. By reflecting on our perspective, we can begin to find or create a greater sense of meaning.
A Simple Way to Shift Your Perspective
One simple way you can start is by asking yourself a question:
“What is this really contributing to?”
A routine task might support your family, your team, or a personal goal. A challenging responsibility might be building skills, resilience, or opportunities for the future.
Even small shifts in how you answer that question can change how you approach your work.
Aligning Your Daily Actions With Your Values
Another helpful approach is to align your daily actions with your core values.
When you understand what matters most to you, whether it’s service, growth, creativity, or connection, you can begin to see how your efforts fit into a larger picture. This alignment doesn’t always happen automatically, but it can grow with intention and reflection.
Rewriting the Story You Tell Yourself
The parable of the three bricklayers reminds us that meaning is not always found in the task itself, but in the story we tell about it.
Each of us, in a sense, is both the worker and the storyteller. We get to decide whether we are just laying bricks or contributing to something larger.
Small Shifts Can Change Everything
Taking time to reflect on that perspective can have a powerful impact. It shapes our motivation, our sense of satisfaction, and the way we experience our lives day to day.
While we may not always be able to change what we are doing, we often have more power than we realize to change how we see it, and that shift can change everything.
