The Chinese Desk Without the Manual

Life Lessons on Goal achievement and strategy

A step-by-step metaphor on how to become successful in life (with a few extra screws left over)

The Package Arrived

I got a reception desk delivered for my new company. A big box, full of planks, bolts, screws, stickers, tools, and… zero instructions. 😅

And that was it: This desk wasn’t just a piece of furniture. It was life. It was a metaphor. It was how to reach your goals, one chaotic part at a time.

Let me walk you through how this simple desk became one of the most insightful reminders of how life (and success) actually works.

Life gives you the parts, not the manual

So there I am, standing over a mountain of parts.

And what do I have?

• A package with all the ‘stuff’ (a.k.a. the toolkit)

• A single image of the end product... the reception desk (my dream)

No plan. No step-by-step.Just chaos and a goal.

Exactly like life.

You’re handed the tools. You have a vision. But there’s no clear roadmap. And without that roadmap, many people get stuck.

But here’s the thing: If you don’t know your end goal, what the hell are you working toward?

It doesn’t matter if your dream is:

• Money in the bank

• A corporate career

• Being fully yourself in great relationships

• Peace of mind, or a house on a hill with 4 dogs and no meetings

If you don’t define what matters to you ... You’ll stay lost in the pile of random parts.

Clear the clutter & start understanding yourself

The excitement was real. I tore that box open like a kid on Christmas. Foam, cardboard, bubblewrap flying everywhere. And my first move?

Throw away the unnecessary stuff.

Boom. There’s your first life lesson.

Clean up your environment, Clear out the distractions, Remove the noise, the clutter, the stuff that doesn’t serve you.

Once that was done, I looked for the manual. Frantically.

Checked the box again. Checked the foam. Searched every pocket of air in the packaging. And then it hit me:

“This is just like life. You want someone to tell you how. But no one will.”

You want the perfect how-to for your goals…But maybe there isn’t one. And maybe... just maybe you already have everything you need.

So instead of waiting for a magic plan, I got to know what I had.

• Grouped the planks by size and color

• Sorted the screws

• Lined up all the tools

Self-audit. Understand what you’re working with. Organise your mind. Trust that life gave you enough to figure it out.

Start building, fail, laugh, and repeat

With everything sorted, I stared at the image of the finished desk. And then back at the parts. Back at the picture. Back at the parts.

That’s visualization.

“What will this actually look like when it’s done?”

I tried a few first steps. Screwed some pieces together. Some things made sense. Some didn’t.

But suddenly, I saw a pattern in the holes I didn’t notice before. So I deconstructed what I did and rebuilt it better.

That’s life again. You won’t figure it all out, first try. You just need to start.

Every try gives you:

• Insight

• Pattern recognition

• More confidence

At one point, I totally messed up the drawer system. I had to redo it all. Twisted my wrists. Got annoyed. But instead of losing it, I turned up the music and laughed about it.

And I noticed something…

I’ve grown. Younger me would’ve exploded. Smashed the boards. Emailed the company saying they were idiots. (Yes, I used to be that guy. Not to brag… I was the king of overreaction)

Let go of perfection, build anyway

The desk slowly took shape. Drawer by drawer. Panel by panel. It started to look real.

By keeping my focus on the vision, and not obsessing about the perfect execution, I got 90% of it done.

Was it perfect? Nope. One drawer didn’t fit. Some screws were left. A panel had the wrong color. One cabinet didn’t have a bottom plank.

And yet... it was enough. It was done.

THE FINAL LESSON

I never said your dream life was going to show up picture-perfect. But if you get to 90% of your goals?

That’s a damn good life.

And I’m proud of it. Proud of the chaos, the process, the screw-ups, the restarts, and everything in between.

Because that’s life. You go back. You fix a few things. You accept mistakes. You keep building forward.

BONUS PLOT TWIST

A few weeks later?

We threw out the Chinese desk. We ordered a proper one... triple the price, double the quality, delivered and assembled on site

Now that is the life I’m working toward:

One phone call and your dreams arrive fully built at the door? Yes please

WRAP-UP

The Chinese desk without the manual gave me one of the best reminders of what success really looks like:

• Have a clear end goal

• Get to know your tools

• Start building... even without a plan

• Laugh when it sucks

• Don’t expect perfect

• Keep your eyes on the vision

If you keep showing up, stay flexible, and trust your process?

You’ll build something amazing. Even if you’ve got a few screws left over.

Want help putting your vision together, without the manual?

Send me a message.

Let’s lay out the pieces and build it together.

Your biggest cheerleader,

– Sjoerd