As a kid my dad always told me, "do good work." Sounds simple enough. And so it is, simple, but demanding.
I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer and there are tons of people who are smarter than me. I accept that reality. I am not bothered by it because I know, I too have been gifted with some talents. My talents may be different than others, but I choose to go with what I have been granted. It has worked out pretty well for me over time.
Why?
I do my best to do good work. Everyday I work to make a difference in the world we live in. Some days I feel accomplished, others - well, not so much. Doing good work demands that you constantly learn new skills in a dynamic and complicated world. All the while, you have to use the skills you have honed.
It is sometimes easier to rely on past experiences and enjoy the calming knowledge that you are in your comfort zone. Oh if it was that simple! I'm not wired that way I guess. Perhaps I have an attention deficit. I'm not sure, but what I am sure of is that life is a whole lot more fun out there on the edge of comfortable, routine, mundane. Kinda crazy for a "simple man" to speak of the wilderness that comes with the chaos of change.
To me good work means you lay your reputation on the line everyday. You get up and you get after it. You move forward. Let your work speak for itself. No need to hoot and holler how wonderful you are...who gives a crap? When I do good work, I know it. Others do as well. That is good enough for me. I maintain my own internal barometer of success. I also know when I have screwed up. Again, I do not need someone to tell me. Trust me, I know, because when I screw up it is usually because I have run too far, too fast. I do that from time-to-time. I get ahead of my skill set or my intellect. Sometimes my calendar.
My dad is gone now. I miss him dearly. But I know he is with me everyday. I hear him softly whispering in my ear, "son, do good work."
And so it is, good work matters. When it matters, it is simple. It is fun. In the end, it can be good.
Do good work.
jsv
