Where’d we get the idea to play small?
TOTAL READ TIME: 2 Minutes
Antoni Gaudi was a Christian, architect and designer who must have been hard of hearing. I mean, he must have, because he didn’t hear the message that we are supposed to play small in life.
I’ve recently returned from Barcelona, Spain, where Gaudi is a household name and his art and architectural wonders are everywhere. His life’s work was architecting the Sagrada Familia (pictured above), which is a larger-than-you-can-imagine basilica 140 years in the making. (The first stone was laid in 1882 and is targeting completion in 2026.) He designed the build in phases, in a way that they can’t quit early without completing the entire work of art. Smartly played.
Gaudi played big. He created big, larger-than-life works that celebrated God, Jesus, spiritual ascension, humanity and nature. He did not think “Well, churches are normally around yaybig, so I’d better stick within that parameter.” He did not think “What could I do with my own two hands?” or even “What could be done in my lifetime?”
That’s because no one ever told him to play small.
In other words: He never shrank.
My analysis concludes that I’ve shrunk. As a child in the birthing canal to the world, I’d spend countless hours dreaming up my future. Then I stepped onto my path, and somewhere and somehow, I forgot how to dream. When I tried, my dreams became predictable and easy. My structured, safe life, drawn with straight lines, bled into the center. No wonder I feel boxed in.
What to do next? Take a moment to mourn then pick up the chin. Today is a great day to be our own architect. Let’s grab out sketch pads and look up. Celebrate our first draft, then let’s turn the page.
This time, Gaudi-style.