The Sistine Chapel

When Michelangelo started painting the Sistine Chapel, he set out with a simple ambition: to portray the 12 apostles.

As his work progressed, he decided to fill the entire space with colorful frescos depicting the story of the Creation and hired dozens of apprentices to assist in this monumental task.

And then he fired them all. That’s right – every single one. Michelangelo was so disenchanted with his apprentices’ work that he banished them from the cathedral altogether. He painted over their work and did it all by himself. (That’s why we call Asaf “Michelangelo 3.0” ?).

Rather than let amateurs spoil his paintings, Michelangelo preferred to spend the next 4.5 years of his life alone, climbing 60-foot-tall scaffoldings, and only the Pope himself was allowed to view the work in progress.

Our takeaway is this: Teamwork is great, but don’t ever lower your standards for the sake of someone else.

Because who knows? That project you’re working on could be your greatest masterpiece.