Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» Do you always do your very best no matter what you do or for whom or do loved ones get your best and others get what's left?
I always do my very best at whatever I do - regardless of whom I do it for. Whether I get paid for it or I do it for free, I will do the best I can. I can remember my parents telling me when I was very young, "when you do something, do it as if you were doing it for Jesus". At the time we didn't understand that our parents were really trying to teach us a lesson. We thought it was just a ploy to get us to fold all the laundry instead of merely stuffing it in the drawers. While I still stuffed the laundry into drawers for many years after, the lesson did sink in. When I got older and started doing odd jobs for the neighbors, I always did my very best. Even if that best only netted me $10 for 3 hours of hard work. Sure, I could gotten the job done in a quarter the time by doing a half-assed job, but I was determined that I would do my best - no matter how long it took. Did I get taken advantage of from time to time? Oh, yeah, but still it made me feel good knowing that I did my very best.
In our family we had a policy - never charge family members for helping them. It was a policy my brother hated. Of course, when my brother wanted us to help him, he'd make sure to flaunt the "policy" in our faces. My brother was a self-taught mechanic. As such, we'd occasionally ask him for help when our cars had a minor problem or if we needed advice on cars (what's a good car to buy, what's the best place to get my car worked on, why is my car making a funny sound, etc.). We didn't take advantage of him (that wouldn't have been right) For all major problems (we let him be the judge on what he considered major) we'd either take the car to a repair shop or give him some money to "fix" it (he always said that all repair shop mechanics were frauds). However, When "fixing" our cars, my brother always did a half-assed job. If he broke something while attempting to "fix" something else he'd say that it was our problem not his. His advice wasn't free either ("if you really want to know, pay me"). Let's just say that my brother didn't work for Jesus, he worked for himself. Yet even though my brother was an ass to the rest of us, I always did my best when I helped him (and did a lot of eye rolling).
To this day, whenever I do something I always do my very best (110%). Whether it's for a family member, an employer or a total stranger, I still do the job as if I were working for Jesus. Because when you get right down to it... I really am working for Him.
Thank you for a very thoughtful, comprehensive and informative reply to my question Shuhak. I so appreciate your sharing your reality with us by giving specific examples of your experiences. It opens doors to understanding you and I must say in this regard and probably others you and I are quite alike. 'If it's worth doing it's worth doing well". I don't know how to do less than my best . Now of course my "best" varies widely from thing to thing but I never sandbag or hold back. It's mainly because I think I'd cheat myself as much if not more than whomever else is involved or whatever else. If you always take shortcuts and do the minimum it becomes a template and you are really hobbling yourself. I think that is a very illogical thing to do. At least it makes no sense to me so I don't. On jobs I've left I always worked up to the very last minute because I wanted to leave things orderly for the next person. Some people can be vicious. I knew someone who before she left one job tampered with the computer and destroyed/ruined a lot of things. Of course she got into a lot of trouble for doing that and I never understood why she would or how she could do that. People are capable of justifying whatever it is they want to do. It isn't that they KNOW better. It's that they think what they are doing is the "better". I think your brother's view of life is unfortunate. I don't think he was working for himself though. If he were he would be doing the very best he could wouldn't he? He must have been a very unhappy person. Imagine going through life with that mindset. I'm sure you appreciate that you are NOT like that and count your blessings. What you do when no one is watching is the real you. Many folks hide that and pretend to be pleasant/helpful/cooperative/kind. At least your brother was honest about whom he was so you could count on that and take precautions. Happy Monday! :)
Not sure if I would consider what I do as always my "very best" - because I always know I can do better - but I try to do as well as I can in my various responsibilities. But I prioritize. My husband and my job come first. Then everything else in the time I have available. Involving other people requires scheduling so I have to keep up with that but other things are just in my "spare" time when I have some. But I don't look at it as though I am constantly on trial or being scrutinized or am always trying to do better but it just all becomes part of my natural way of life - is just how I live and I do as well as I am able under whatever are my circumstances.
Shuhak 