At a particular moment on a particular morning in 1163 a humble workman laid the first stone for a building that would become one of the most iconic structures in the world. Over 8 1/2 centuries later, Notre Dame still stands. After a terrible fire in 2019 no one said, "Why bother to rebuild it?" Such structures insist an energy on others that requires their survival.

Great cathedrals like Notre Dame are built one stone at a time. True greatness is not determined by bricks or building size. Excellence requires a sacred vision, high skills & leaders that nurture cultures of Radical Loving Care™. 

Winning coaches evoke deep excellence not just a list of wins. They eschew "average" & raise energy by convincing every team member that success holds high meaning & that it is achievable. 

Legendary authors start with one word or sentence. None of them write the chapters that follow until they discover a certain sacred energy that lifts their work far above the norm. 

Leaders, inventors & creators all believe their work is more than meaningful. For each, success is a sacred calling. 

The significance of great creations alters over time. The Great Pyramids & The Taj Mahal began as tributes to dead people & are now universally acclaimed because they are works of art symbolizing ideas. The importance of Notre Dame, the White House & the Washington monument have is reinterpreted by each generation.

The Mayo brothers hoped their creation would change medicine for the better. They did not dream that the Mayo Clinic would become the gold standard. That happened because their successors developed "The Mayo Way", a culture so strong that every new caregiver learns they must live up to that standard to be part of the Mayo team. 

Each leader can reach for greatness each day. Each painter can create just another painting or strive to paint the best work of their lives. And each caregiver can, today, strive to heal every person they touch. 

Magic happens in the life of each person that marries their calling to bone-deep love. It starts & continues by repeating this truth: "I am a child of God quietly building my own cathedral by living love not fear. My moments will become sacraments. I will do sacred work."  

-Erie Chapman