Invited to attend an evening of music courtesy of Steinway, I brought the Ilocana with me. There is a reason why Steinway is considered one of the best pianos in the world, perhaps the best. There is always a reason why something or someone is considered the best in the craft.
This reminds me oaf an article Os Hillman wrote about his observation and experience visiting their manufacturing plant some years ago.1 Os says: My business career has been as an owner of an advertising agency. Over the years, I have had the privilege to work on many different and prestigious accounts. One of those accounts was Steinway Pianos, the world’s finest pianos maker. Each piano has always been made from scratch; it takes over a year to make one Steinway. The most impressive scene as I toured the manufacturing plant was when the soundboard was stretched to its maximum tolerance and allowed to sit for an extended period until it remained in the curved design. This was done in an off-to-the-corner part of the plant. If the wood were alive, it would be crying out for mercy.
After an extended stretching time, the wood will never spring back to its original state. It is permanently changed. The piano is becoming a fine-tuned instrument. After this process takes place, the next step requires another stress point. It takes 11 tons of pressure on a piano to tune it, and each step moves the piano closer to a finished product that the world’s finest musicians will ultimately play. The best musicians require and desire a particular sound that only a piano like this can make.
And then Os takes a different turn and says: God looks at each of us as a fine-tuned instrument. However, we begin as rough wood that He desires to transform into gold. Tuning us requires specific experiences that will stretch our faith, frame, and very life. Sainthood springs out of suffering. We will come forth as gold as a sweet-smelling offering to our Maker if we can stand the strain of this intense process. When we are in the midst of these times, it feels like fire. It is painful to be stretched beyond our perceived limits, but the Lord knows this is necessary for us to become an instrument that can play a beautiful song that others will seek after.
Let the master Craftsman have His way in your life today. You will be pleased with the instrument He fashions.
And the verse of Scripture he uses is Zechariah 13:9”...I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’”
Persistence and perseverance. If one wants to be an expert craftsman, then stretching oneself, working long hours, doing hard work, and even facing immense challenges are requisites to get there. We will never realize our deep skills and talents until we are willing to face bigger challenges and situations. In his popular book “The Outliers,” Malcolm Gladwell says his studies reveal that all the masters of their craft put in at least 10,000 hours of work. They sure did stretch themselves for a long time; they grow in it, and they improve at it. Their true expertise did not come from tweaking social media algorithms, making false claims in their bio, increasing the “likes” and “following in social media,” and pretending to be an expert when they are not. But in life, as in business and career, these “Steinway people” are products of intense stretching who have gone through the fiery experiences of life’s struggles, yet they persevere, endure, and continue to level up their craft and character. Their success today is visible. The process of getting there, just like the piano’s manufacturing process in the factory, is invisible to the public.
William James says: “Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got, and you’ll be amazed at the energy coming from you.” Entrepreneur and writer Paul J. Meyer says: “Ninety percent of those who fail are not actually defeated. They quit.” King Saul looked at the challenge and thought Goliath was too big to fight; David looked at the same challenge, stretched himself, and thought he was too big to miss.
Do you have stretch marks all over you by now? If not, then go and get some more.
(Francis Kong runs his highly acclaimed Level Up Leadership 2.0 Master Class Online this July 5-7. For inquiries and reservations, contact April at +63928-559-1798 or and for more information, visit www.levelupleadership.ph)