e-dreaming

My father once confessed that he was a workaholic... but he also quickly added that he came by it honestly, because his father was also a workaholic.  My (very understanding and patient) wife, Jill, would probably say something about how the family heritage is still alive and well.  But much of what I consider my work ethic actually came from a boss I had when I was only 16 years old.  I was afraid of this old man (he wasn't really that old, but when you're afraid of your boss and you are only 16, the boss certainly looks old), but I also respected him.  He was a very hard worker himself, working almost until the day that he died, decades later. 

Some of the things I learned from him were through harsh admonitions.  He often taught me simply by tossing me in over my head and leaving me there to sink or swim.  For some reason, I was determined to never disappoint this old man, and sometimes, that meant physically working so hard, and in such extreme conditions, that I would nearly collapse.  And you know... I've rarely felt so good in my entire life!

It makes me sad that some people never learn to love their work.  I have been very fortunate in my life, but I passionately believe that work is a blessing, and everyone (especially here in the U.S.) should be able to find a way to love their job. One of the things my father taught me was that the company that you work for is not the enemy, but an ally, with shared goals, and shared outcomes.  And he taught me that everyone works for someone, and attitude about work is a decision we make, consciously or unconsciously.  A favorite line from a movie I have long-enjoyed (John Wayne's McClintock) takes place when The Duke corrected a young hire who commented that McClintock had given him a job.  McClintock's response was "Son, I don't give jobs. I hire men!"  He later went on to explain that we ALL work for someone, and that HE (as a cattleman) worked for everyone who ever bought a steak. 

That's precisely the way everyone should view work, and the way they should approach their job. We all serve someone.  The distinguishing question is how well, and with what kind of attitude we will serve.