Only about 1% of employees–if that–have a “passion for excellence” 24/7 year in and year out. Amongst the rest are those that have their moments. While some of the rest are talented, brilliant, and energetic, and may include Coif and Law Review people, after a few years they can lapse into complacency, smugness and the work ethic of your no-good Uncle Seamus, the family member who went out for a pack of Luckies one day and never came back. It’s hard to fake being in love with a job that you do well–but just don’t, well, love.
One of our favorite posts is “How Do You Teach Great Habits at Work?” It begins:
What the poets and philosophers say about Man (and Woman) is true: we are all miracles capable of miraculous things. But how do we get there? Well, someone much smarter than me said that excellence at work and in life comes from great habits. In life, examples would be eating fruit instead of glazed donuts or Egg McMuffins in the morning, running two miles 5 times a week, or each day without fail saying thank-you and praying for guidance to God, Allah, Yahweh, [more]”
A. Gold, Mean Person, Enemy of the Rank-and-File.
(Photos: HBO and 20th Century Fox)