3 minute read
Growing Our Future: Texas Agricultural Science Education Magazine
WHAT ARE YOUR WORK ETHIC PRINCIPLES?
PRINCIPLES OF WORK ETHIC VARY FROM INDIVIDUAL TO INDIVIDUAL. WHAT ARE YOURS?
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BY: DANIEL STANTON CAFE VENTURE COMPANY
Every kid should be able to grow up in a farming or ranching community. In this environment, one can learn that work starts when the sun comes up and ends when the sun goes down. Work ethic is the principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward. A lesson that is engrained into the agricultural lifestyle. But how do we build upon that lesson? How do we determine our work ethic principles?
I believe that most of my work ethic developed by example from my father and grandfather.
There were three broad lessons that I always set as my standards:
- Do your best in everything, even when no one is looking.
- Always leave things better than we found them.
- Every job or task is everyone's responsibility.
DO YOUR BEST IN EVERYTHING, EVEN WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING.
“Be your own best boss” was a common statement from my father. He believed that when you do a job, you should do it to impress yourself, not to impress others. The best reward is when you can complete a project and know that you did everything possible. It is always important to be your own toughest critic with high standards while not allowing those measures to be set by others. At the end of the day, this will enable us to go to bed knowing that 100% effort has been given in everything attempted.
ALWAYS LEAVE THINGS BETTER THAN WE FOUND THEM.
Ask yourself if you are finishing a project, job, or meeting better than when you arrived. This can be a true self- -assessment. Do you cause conflict, or do you help? Be the first one to show up and the last one to leave.
EVERY JOB OR TASK IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY.
I believe that no job or task is below me, and I strive to set that example for others to follow. If a task needs doing, be willing to do it. Eliminate entitlement and self-pity as life is not fair and never will be. Life is what we make of it. We have a choice of attitude and effort. Never let anyone steal that from you.
One of the greatest rewards is knowing that we have given 100% effort in everything we do. This starts by planning your work and working on your plan. By paying attention to details and accessing and reacting to situations. By always looking for opportunities
to serve. By never growing tired of serving and doing the right thing.
The principles of work ethic might vary from individual to individual. However, we all can strive to go to bed tired and wake up early while asking ourselves, “how can we get 1% better every day.”
