Episode Transcript
A Home is More Than a House
It Comes Down to How You Think
The words home and house are almost always used interchangeably. Their definitions are, in fact, nearly identical.
For me, as a builder, I see them differently.
To me, a house is a residential building— something physically constructed to provide human habitation. It’s a collection of concrete, boards, shingles, drywall, and more, all assembled together. It’s a place to get out of the rain. It’s a structure.
A home, on the other hand, is more than just a place where you go to get out of the weather. It provides you with safety and security— like a mother’s hug. It’s the place you want to be when everything around you feels like it’s falling apart. A place of warmth and comfort.
It’s common for words to mean different things to different people or to be used in different ways at different times.
Here’s a good example of how house can mean something more. In the Bible, when Joshua was talking to the people of Israel at Shechem, he reminded them that their ancestors had served other gods. He walked them through their history and how they had gone back and forth on following God and not. Then, in Joshua 12:14-15, he challenged them to choose who they would follow. He closes with:
“…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
In this context, the word house is not a physical building. It means family. In fact, several different translations use the word family instead.
The point I want to make is this: we need to be clear about what people mean when they say something. And if we aren’t sure, we need to ask questions.
There are similarities between a house and a home. Whether you’re building a physical house or a home to raise a family, you need to be clear on what you want and have a plan for how you’re going to do it.
As a builder, I want to help my customers build a home, not just a house.
Too many construction companies miss this. They focus on the construction project rather than the person— the customer’s wants and needs. This mindset often leads to discontented customers and missed opportunities.
But building is about more than just physical construction. It’s a way of looking at things. It’s how I approach everything in life. I am a builder, after all.
Here’s how I view life from a builder’s perspective:
We all have multiple areas in our lives. I break mine into seven— spiritual, family, vocation, financial, personal well-being, ministry, and social/community. Then, I put a builder’s spin on them:
Spiritual – BUILD my relationship with God. – This includes reading through the entire Bible each year by spending time in it daily, communicating with God through journaling and praying throughout the day, and participating in at least two group Bible studies each year.
Family – BUILD a family legacy. – Regularly scheduled meals out with my wife, individual time with each of my kids every six weeks, and Sunday lunches with parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews after church.
Vocation – Help people BUILD their dreams. – Providing construction customers with experiences beyond their expectations and helping construction companies BUILD their businesses through coaching and consulting.
Financial – BUILD wealth. – Having a plan and setting goals for generating annual revenue while keeping bills paid and finances in order.
Personal Well-Being – BUILD the best me. – Eating right, being physically active, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and staying on top of regular doctor and dentist visits.
Ministry – Help others BUILD the best them. – Leading Sunday school at church, sharing those messages through weekly emails and blog posts, and taking an active role in church leadership.
Social / Community – Help BUILD a better world. – Serving on the township board, building and maintaining relationships in the community, and participating in public events.
Over the years, I learned that BUILDing a successful business and life is about more than construction. That’s where the BUILD Process came from.
This process starts with being aware that something isn’t right— there shouldn’t be this many problems. Next comes understanding the problems and figuring out how to fix them. Then comes the most important (and hardest) part: taking intentional action. Once you start taking action, you will have to learn— and keep learning. If you take those four steps, the final piece is the delivery of your dreams.
BUILDing the business and life of your dreams comes down to choosing to do something.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can BUILD your best business and life, schedule a free 30-minute meeting or check out the tools and process we offer.
