Why can’t some people change?
“Yes, Diana, I am walking in right now. I don’t know why this contractor is taking so long. Just go to sleep, and I will take care of everything. See you at the house showing first thing tomorrow morning.”
The worn out property manager quickly ended the call and began rummaging through her purse in search for the keys to the front door. Her mind was already racing with anxiety.
Was it a mistake for her to be so desperate to hire a last minute contractor who only had average google review of 3.4 stars? Contractors were already booked solid for the next 4 months. And this “Bob” was the only one she could find on such short notice.
As she apprehensively unlocked the door, she yelled out, “Bob! It’s Quinn, Diana’s property manager. Are you finished yet?”
“I am in the washroom! I’ll be out in a minute,” bellowed a strained voice from down the hall.
Without further delay, Quinn entered the living room and was instantly horrified. The walnut cabinets were only half assembled. The baseboards were out of alignment. The porcelain floor tiles were chipped and cracked. It was an absolute disaster!
As Quinn stormed down the hall, she began drafting a scathing 1-star review on her phone. But before she was able to hit “submit,” she tripped over Bob’s toolbox and collapsed in front of the washroom door.
The only tools that tumbled out of the battered box was a single hammer and a screwdriver. When Quinn eventually interrogated Bob on this, he casually replied, “I got those from my father. I completed every job using just those tools.” He said with a smug smile. “I don’t see a need to get any more.”
There are many people, like Bob, who rely on a very limited set of tools to tackle life’s problems. Most of these tools were acquired from our parents or our childhood. Even though these tools may have worked in the past, they often are inefficient at dealing with the more complex and larger scale problems we now face in the present. Unless we are willing to acquire and develop new skills and tools, we will be too quick to pick up screwdrivers when we need to start using a drill.
