Brain or Brawn or Both

That was because I was referring to something out of context (how followers should behave and act like a belief engine instead of how a player wants to strategically tackle game of "Godus" (war/peace/economic/cultural approaches of playing)

Anyway. I think Q doesn't see what I'm trying to picture (maybe no one does )

I'll try again.
Yes we want some kind of control of our followers.
But part of the day, they need their own time to fulfill their basic needs.
We already have a stamina and a hitpoint bar (do we/could expand these to more different and optional/bonus types?). Those bars deplete when followers do whatever it is they want to (or what we order them to do).
Filling these bars is something they do on their own. They will look for whatever food/water source is closely available (in early stages they need to forage/hunt, in later stages they need to visit a farmer (vegetables or livestock), and even later they can visit a granary followed by a shop/store).
So "zen painting" is only a small part of the game, yet a critical one.
The quicker your followers can fulfill (fill the bars) the faster hey can "get to work" (to do whatever task they are ordered to do or whatever occupation they have).

This is a game element that involves the player after the followers have built whatever dwelling they live in.
So they have a daily life and an occupation (later in the game). Which is partially controllable.
And it would not have to be something you have to juggle each and every time you log into the game (so it is a chore to the player)
It should be fun. A bit of a strategic puzzle/build element, which once puzzled out needs very low maintenance (unless you unleash 1000+ extra followers in the same spot at once).
Much like watering the plants once a week (figuratively).

You don't even have to start the game with painting. Resources enough until your society grows too large. When there are too many, it would take them most of the day to get what they need and trees/rocks even disappear.
You want to regrow forests, create conveniently close rock deposits (or paint them into a different type when development asks for different resources)
For instance when you want a different crop in a field instead of the normal one. Or instead of a rock deposit, you want it to be an ore deposit or a clay deposit (beautified/swamp'ed).

You would still be digging/moving dirt, expanding your society, but now you must also (next to a plot to build on) also provide your followers with resources.


My blabbering about "accomplishments" is about "filling the bars" (one type of task and accomplishment) and building/farming/mining/teaching/healing/<insertnicejobsforpeoplehere> (other type of task in which followers earn "accomplishment")

"Accomplishment" is just a word, don't take it literally (very meaningful in context, but might as well be something completely different in my story. Just like we have belief instead of mana).
But if that is what followers regard that as one of the highest feelings in life and connect that with a "God" As if God is responsible for the harvest or the amount of ore a miner hauls each day etc.
So little "accomplishments" = little bit of belief. Big accomplishments (anything occupational related), big amount of belief.
Availability and proximity of resources play roles in both big and little accomplishments.
Occupations would need resources (even buildings could require upkeep/maintenance).



I could write an even bigger wall of text of how this all interconnects more precisely. But not today. This took me a good couple of hours to write in what I think should be understandable format.