…is the way of the apprentice and the Builder’s Journeyman on the climb to becoming a master in the art of living.
BTL is a blue-collar framework — a builder’s trade — and it must be caught, not just taught. Like the carpenter who built fishermen into fishers of men, it involves lots of hands-on practice, shadowing and learning with others who inspire you to keep working. It requires fellow builders coming alongside to make you do what you can, to make you think, re-think and productively act. This leads to transformation of the self and transformation of the ones you are building with. You can begin just as you are but you will never be the same.
Your strong CORE is built as you evolve from unconscious incompetence of your W.I.P. to conscious incompetence to unconscious competence to conscious competence. It takes deep humility and courage to admit you don’t know what you don’t know. And then, awakening to know what you don’t know while accepting it as a sign of growth. Being challenged outside your comfort zone to practice the daily disciplines of masters results in immediate feedback and bursts of progress as you experience transformation but can’t explain it. Mastery is happening when you know what you know and why.
The good news is all it takes is a little bit of progress to make you a little bit more worth catching. The most powerful force in meteorology is a low-pressure system, and the same is true in relationships. We humans are drawn to those who’s weather inspire us whether they know it or not. Leadership is not about control, it’s about influence, and as you make progress in your CORE your influence grows.
This is why who you are when you are with them is more important than what you say or do. Of course, what you say or do is important, but who you are when you are with them is more important, whether it’s your team, your family, your significant other, or anyone else. With a strong CORE and your focus on your OPUS, there will be a light in your eyes and a grace on your face you can’t fake — and others can’t mistake, perhaps to awake to their own Builder’s Journey.
Does your weather push others away or draw others in? Is your drift worth catching? Do you know why?
Every Builder’s Journey in BBTL is a reminder becoming BUILT TO LEAD is caught, not taught. Read the next blog about Anais and Bobby’s testimony — then challenge yourself to write your own in 2022.
Done so.
BUILT TO LEAD 
This line seared me Gu: “BTL is a blue-collar framework — a builder’s trade”. It captures the melody of what we call the REAL-HARD-WORK. This is why a good number of people opt out, they want something easier. I love this work, yep THE WORK, not just the fruits of it.