Working Our Way Through

We believe in the power and value of hard work.

We have expectations and goals, and are convinced that our hard work will meet them. While we may not always be the smartest person in the room, we make up for it by working harder.

Working hard will get us what we want. We take pride in the results of our efforts.

Sometimes we do not even choose the focus of our own work. We are asked to do something, offered a job, and we work as hard as we can.

We put ourselves into our work. We grow close to the people with whom we work. We become who we are when we are working.

When we are not at work, we find projects and hobbies we approach like work.

We spend our lives working.

It is easy for us to believe what we are told about work, even when we know it is not true.

We know that work is not only about getting results. We know that the value of hard work is much more, much deeper, than getting paid for it. We know our work is much more important than what it produces.

Hard work is inherently significant. The act of working well reminds us why we value it in the first place.

Good work is not primarily about being productive, or efficient, or meeting someone else’s expectations. Good work is about becoming a good worker.

Good work is about appreciating the value of working well.

Good work is about doing our best. Working well is being creative, flexible, and persistent. Good work recognizes what needs to be done, takes a deep breath, and begins.

Good work is its own reward.

What are you working on today?

How are you learning to work better?

[Image by Francesco Rachello]