The Wolf Is Coming
I got a call late into the evening from a teammate recently. (Let’s call him Joe.)
Joe asked me with a hint of laughter: “You riled up?!”
I was.
It had been a stressful day. A competitor backed up the dump truck with a pile of money and was trying to poach some of our team as we're heading into the busiest part of our season.
Joe was calm. Collected. Even laughing.
“Matt, don’t lose sleep tonight… it’s going to be just fine.”
Joe grounded me in that stressful moment. Reminded me what we’re REALLY building here at Century.
The best way I can describe it is through the story I tell my kids at night.
The story of the three little pigs.
(You know this one but hear me out.)
The first pig built with straw.
He wanted to build fast because he had a plan to get rich fast. The house was a financial instrument and nothing more. He didn't care about the process. He claimed to care about employees, but it was solely about money.
This first pig was in such a rush. When he realized he wasn't going to hit his numbers, he mandated six-day work weeks. For everyone. To hit record profits just for his benefit.
He was so desperate for people that he started offering signing bonuses and referral bonuses that were more than existing teammates would ever see. (Unsustainable, but he needed help from those who thought short-term.)
He was offering $10 more per hour than other companies. Not because he valued people.
Because he needed bodies to build with straw.
The first pig just needed to get a roof up, sell the house, and move on to the next one. As long as the price exceeded the costs, it was a success.
Everyone else could figure out their own futures.
The second pig had the exact same mindset. Same process.
Just with sticks instead of straw.
The third pig built with brick.
He didn't want to build to sell. He wanted to build a gathering hall where friends, family, and community could do life together.
It felt different.
It looked different.
The third pig was playing a long game with long-term people.
For him, it wasn't just about money. (Money was the oxygen, but never the sole focus.)
He knew that building a house is a challenge. Not every day goes great. Things go wrong. So he built a team to support every aspect of laying brick:
Safety (so everyone gets home)
Human resources (so teammates have what they need for their families)
IT (so technology works for the teammate)
Finance (keeping score promptly and accurately)
Pig University (development of skills for life & craft)
For the third pig, it was about the journey.
He focused on building something worth passing on. Something that would stand when the wolf inevitably came to town.
He knew the greatest filter for greatness is time.
The third pig hired teammates to lay bricks with care. The team talked about building a foundation that would withstand the wolf — the tough times that always come.
They realized the perfect house doesn't exist. But they could build the perfect house for each other.
They lived in a fallen world. Not perfect. But they could focus on doing things the right way and living a rich life with people they liked, admired, and trusted.
On this long journey of laying brick, as walls were erected, the team discovered something together.
A richness to life.
Wealth that money couldn't buy.
Many years passed. The wolf showed up.
The wolf blew down the straw house in one puff. The pigs inside ran to the stick house.
He did the same with the stick house. All the pigs ran to the brick house.
The wolf got to the brick house.
He puffed and puffed and puffed.
The brick house wouldn't budge. It was built to last.
The pigs inside watched as the wolf gave up and walked away.
The pigs who built with sticks and straw were in awe. "How did you know to build with brick?"
The brick builders smiled at each other. They knew it's really the only way to build.
They smiled knowing they didn't just have a building that could withstand the wolf.
They had grown as people along the way.
They looked at each other knowing they had built a truly wealthy life.
Here's what they found laying brick together for decades:
Personal Growth: exploring our God-given talents and how to maximize them
Wellness: mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health
Family: working to prioritize loving our families through strong values
Craft: work as an opportunity to pursue mastery and contribute to the world
Money: a tool for financial stability, but not the sole measure
Community: building positive relationships with positive people
Adventure: stepping outside one's comfort zone
Service: making a positive impact
Choose your materials carefully. Choose your time horizons carefully.
We only get 4,000 weeks.
The last thing I want to be is so poor that all I have is money.
Onward,
Matt