What I learned at Gaudí’s Basílica
APRIL 14, 2025
True vision transcends lifetimes. And we can create with the intention that our work and impact will outlive us, by honoring what came before (however imperfect) and building something greater.
Don’t wait for perfect conditions to build your vision – Growth doesn’t start from scratch—it starts from where you stand.
With a client in Barcelona this past week, I made time to visit the Basílica de la Sagrada Família—Antoni Gaudí’s architectural masterpiece. It's one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, and yet, more than 140 years after construction began, it’s still not finished.
But that’s exactly the point.
Gaudí knew it wouldn’t be done in his lifetime. Yet, he poured his passion, creativity and trust into a vision so big, so layered, it would extend beyond him. And somehow—more than a century later—people are still building toward it.
And that’s where the lessons came in.
Gaudí wasn’t building for deadlines.
He was building for something bigger than himself.
He left behind a clear enough blueprint—both literally and metaphorically—that others could pick up where he left off. And they have. Generations of craftsmen, artists, and architects have continued his work, inspired by the same passion he began with.
It made me ask: Am I creating with that kind of vision?
Am I dreaming into something that can live beyond me, that others could be a part of—not because I micromanaged the details, but because I made the direction unmistakably clear?
Whether it’s your business, your family, your art, what’s the vision you’re building into?
Vision Isn’t Meant to Be Finished—It’s Meant to Be Carried.
After Gaudí’s death, every new architect tasked with continuing the project faced a powerful non-negotiable: You may not remove or change what has already been done. You must build on it.
That’s a masterclass in acceptance.
You might not love what came before you—decisions made, designs drawn, the shape of what you inherited—but your job isn’t to erase it. It’s to honor it, learn from it, and grow something even better.
That applies to our businesses. It applies to our relationships. And it absolutely applies to ourselves. Growth doesn’t come from starting over. It comes from working with what’s already there.
Acceptance is the foundation of growth.
It had been about 20 years from when I first saw the Basilica. And I walked away from it with more than photos.
I left with a challenge, for all of us, if you want to join me: Create something worth continuing by building on what came before—with trust, with purpose, and with your own unique voice.
Key Idea
Vision Isn’t Meant to Be Finished—It’s Meant to Be Carried. True vision transcends lifetimes. And we can create with the intention that our work and impact will outlive us, by honoring what came before (however imperfect) and building something greater.
Takeaway
Don’t wait for perfect conditions to build your vision – Growth doesn’t start from scratch—it starts from where you stand.
Build your Movement
What vision am I building that others can carry forward?
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