Frank Lloyd Wright - The reality of the building lies in the space within

Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for September 3rd.Today is National Skyscraper Day, celebrating those monolithic towers that pierce the clouds and define our city skylines. This holiday falls on September 3rd because it marks the birthday of Louis H. Sullivan, the American architect known as the "father of skyscrapers," who was born in 1856.

Sullivan revolutionized architecture with his famous principle that "form follows function," helping to create the first true skyscrapers in Chicago in the late 1800s. These towering structures aren't just impressive feats of engineering – they're symbols of human ambition, innovation, and our eternal desire to reach higher. Skyscrapers represent humanity's refusal to be limited by what seems possible.When you look up at a skyscraper, you're seeing thousands of decisions, calculations, and designs made into reality in steel, glass, and concrete.
Which brings us to today's quote from Frank Lloyd Wright, the legendary American architect, who said:

"The reality of the building lies in the space within."At first, Wright's quote might seem to contradict what we love about skyscrapers – after all, we're usually admiring them from the outside, marveling at their height and exterior design. But Wright understood something profound about architecture that applies to much more than buildings.A skyscraper might be impressive from street level, but its true value lies in what happens inside – the lives lived, the work accomplished, the dreams pursued within those walls. The offices where breakthrough innovations happen, the apartments where families gather for dinner, the meeting rooms where important decisions are made.

This principle extends far beyond architecture. Think about the people in your life – the most impressive ones aren't necessarily those with the flashiest exterior presentation. The truly remarkable people are those with rich inner lives, deep thoughts, genuine character, and meaningful purpose.I've visited many apartments, townhomes and houses that didn't look like much from the outside but inside - beautiful and functional living space. You can't judge a book by it's cover or a building either. I think most people would rather live in an ugly ish building with an amazing living space than and amazing exterior building with a crappy interior space.That's the wisdom both Wright and Sullivan understood: great architecture isn't just about reaching impressive heights – it's about creating meaningful spaces where life can flourish.

So today, as we celebrate National Skyscraper Day, let's take Frank Lloyd Wright's insight to heart. Whether you're building a career, a relationship, or just working on yourself, remember that the true value lies not in how impressive you look from the outside, but in the depth and richness of what you're cultivating within.

Build yourself like a great skyscraper – with a strong foundation, thoughtful design, and plenty of meaningful space inside for your dreams and aspirations to grow.

That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for now. But I'll be back, tomorrow. Same Pod Time, Same Pod Station, with another Daily Quote.