yeah, of course they ask you painting houses. but doesn't it depend on how you paint the houses? didn't they ask michelangelo to please paint that chapel ceiling and the way he did made it special in the end?

of course the do have to give you enough freedom to make a sistine chapel out of painting the house, and seldomly they do so.

update:
oh yes, and for the artist:
I am all the things in this thread.

i once read about the japanese zen art of flower arrangement (ikebana). they meditate until 'everything is there' and they only have to put it the right way. sounds interesteing.