A Job Well Done!

'Karen and Jay share thoughts on the importance of work ethic and role that it plays in our lives.'

There is certain joy we can find in our work when we embrace our job with a sense of pride. We all know that virtuous feeling that bubbles up within us when we ‘give our all’ to the task at hand. We care about the outcome. We even have sense that we’re ‘putting our name’ on it. We’re staking our reputation on the care we put into the work and the quality of the ultimate result. That ‘thing’ that keeps us going, keeps pushing us forward even when we are fatigued or simply just ‘don’t feel like taking the next step’ – that ‘thing’ is our ‘work ethic.’

Interestingly, it is exactly this ‘work ethic’ that has powered the American Dream. The American work ethic lies at the core of our being as a nation. For instance, have you ever come back from a shopping run, unpacked your bags, and noticed the little stamp or phrase on what you just bought that says Made in USA. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved seeing those three simple words, namely because of what they signify; pride in one’s work and what we tend to gain when we commit ourselves fully to the task at hand. They’re synonymous with hard work, accomplishment, and a job well done.

Naturally each of us has our own process when it comes to approaching tasks, but something we all share is the satisfaction that comes when we accomplish them. I want you to think back to a moment where you’ve put together a to-do list, whether it be for chores around the house, some personal projects you’ve had on the back of your mind, or tasks at work. When we put our heads down and our best effort forward, and see something through to completion, we tend to feel pretty good afterwards. Seeing what may have at first felt like a series of arduous tasks completed helps instill confidence that we can perhaps take on bigger projects where the risk may be higher, but so too is the reward. I liken this process in some ways to making Ikea furniture. Most of us are not furniture designers and I can’t help but think there are even fewer of us who like putting together an Ikea bed frame or bookshelf. But we follow the directions and slowly but surely, what looked like a bunch of random pieces of wood, plastic, and metal satisfyingly come together to nicely fit into our home. Had we not taken the time, nor had the patience to work through each step, we probably would’ve found ourselves more frustrated in the end and ultimately unhappy with the outcome. The point is this: we made the effort to arrive at a satisfactory end-result because we chose to dedicate ourselves to the job. Much of life is in the end like this.

Perhaps though you find it difficult to tap into your best or most motivated self? The truth is we all do. I’m reminded of a story I once heard of the late basketball player Kobe Bryant telling a group of students about how he regularly found it difficult to find the motivation to get up early and begin his famed 4 a.m. training regimen. A 5x NBA champion and 18x NBA All Star, even he struggled to always put his best foot forward. Yet he still managed to find a way. In his own words, “Dedication makes dreams come true.” It’s fair to say we all have good days and bad days. But the reality is that when we make it our habit to regularly apply ourselves, and commit to putting our best foot forward, especially when it’s most difficult, we’ll rarely be disappointed with what we receive in return. We are blessed to enjoy the wonderful feeling of a job well done.

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