As Thanksgiving is upon us I wanted to let you know how thankful I am for each and every one of you and all you do for our team and community. I’m here to help you in any way I can to be successful and happy because you bring joy to me!
I have share a quick story with you….
In 14th Century Germany there were two brothers who were gifted artists. Albert and Albrecht Durer. They grew up in a large family with 16 other siblings. Needless to say money was scarce. Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, Albert and Albrecht had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.
After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would flip a coin and the one that lost would go down and work in the local coal mines to pay for the other brother to go to school. Then once the first brother graduated from school they would switch and the other brother would go down into the coal mine.
So they flipped the coin, and Albert lost. So he did what was agreed upon and went down to work in the coal mines for his brother Albrecht, whose paintings and drawings were as good as his instructors as soon as he got there.
Now the work in the coal mine was dangerous, as tough as any work comes, but Albert stuck with it.
After Albrecht graduated his father threw a big feast to celebrate. At the feast Albrecht stood up and raised his glass and said “to my brother Albert who went down into the coal mines for me. Who sacrificed for me, because of his service I’ll now do the same for him. I’ll go down into the coal mines so that he can be an artist.”
Albert just covered his face and began to sob. He said “it’s too late, at least once down in the mines I’ve broken every finger and now suffer from arthritis. I can’t even hold a paintbrush or pencil. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, “No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me.”
More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer’s hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like me, are familiar with only one of Albrecht’s works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.
One day, to pay honor to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht painstakingly drew his brother’s abused and broken hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply “Hands,” but the world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love “The Praying Hands.”
After hearing this story, my questions is this…..do you go down into the coal mines for anybody?
Your family?
Your co-workers?
Even a stranger at times?
We were built to serve, to give, and to help others. As a team here at the Belmont Studio & Fit Body Boot Camp and during this period of Thanksgiving let’s remember this.
Let’s remember the true character of a team is its willingness to sacrifice for each other, to go down into the coal mines when needed so that someone else can reach their full potential. So that someone else can get the credit, and so someone else can be successful.
I will go down into the coal mine for you and this team.
Will you?
If a fellow team member messes up are you there to criticize or to help?
If a client is struggling with their form, nutrition or life will you take the extra time needed to help them understand and how to improve or just chalk it up to “they’ll never get it.”
If you’re having a bad day and a team member or client walks in will you change your attitude?
Will you go down into the coal mines and sacrifice your time, talent, and other resources to help someone be successful even in the smallest of situations?
When we all have this attitude towards our family, fellow team members, and our clients we live the way we were designed and will truly become unstoppable and happy!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Your friend & coach,
Brien
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