‘It doesn’t matter what you do; what matters is how you go about doing what you do.”
This quote is from Nick Saban’s book “How Good Do You Want to Be?”. He wrote it after winning the National Championship while he was the head coach at LSU. He won that one in 2003 and he’s added 6 more since he became the head coach at Alabama. It’s a great book if you want to learn how he does it.
The reason I mention it is Coach Saban is a great example of what it takes to be great at what you do.
But what about you? Do you think about how to be the best at what you do or are you more like Peter from “Office Space” and do just enough to not get fired?
The difference is all about what motivates a guy. Some people think the motivation to be great at what you do comes from external gratification. It’s true there are some benefits to being great at what you do. You’ll stand out in the crowd because competence is so rare these days. Which means you’ll have lots of chances to move up your career ladder or have other job opportunities to choose from because people have heard you’re great at what you do
But the best motivation to be great at what you do is more internal than external. It’s the simple satisfaction of a job well done, of knowing that you did the best you could. It’s an undeniable feeling that is difficult to explain but you know it when you feel it. The feeling is strong enough to make you want to experience it over and over.
But how do you become great at what you do?
It all depends on what your job is, right? Well, not really. I think there are 3 keys to success whether you’re an engineer designing a rocket or the electrician doing the wiring of the rocket
Dee’s Threes
Keys to Success in any Job/Career:
- Be disciplined
- Be organized
- Have a positive attitude
Be Disciplined
This means you do what needs to be done whether you feel like it or not. I’ve had jobs I loved and jobs I hated. Both of them had tasks I didn’t like but had to be done.
Here’s what my favorite TV dad Red Foreman says about this. Click to watch
Be Organized
Most jobs have more to do than you think you have time to do. I work for a company that supplies parts to a major auto manufacturer. They keep such small amounts of raw material that a delay of even one day can shut them down. I have to coordinate the purchasing and deliveries of multiple outside companies to be sure we keep them supplied. It’s a lot to keep up which means I have to be organized. So I:
Write stuff down so I don’t forget.
Keep lists of important information like addresses and points of contact
Develop checklists. To be sure I don’t forget a step that could cause an interruption in the supply chain.
Have a Positive Attitude
Most jobs have days that are better than others. Some customers are better than others. A positive attitude is what makes it impossible to tell which kind of day you’re having or which customer you’re dealing with. A positive attitude is what causes you to say “we can do it” instead of “it can’t be done” when there’s a problem.
Those three keys will help any man be great at what he does.
PRO TIP
If you’re serious about being great at what you do, ask your boss to answer these three questions about your job performance:
What should I STOP doing?
What should I START doing?
What should I CONTINUE doing?
The great thing about wanting to be great at what you do is it’s one of the rare goals that isn’t dependent on others. You get to decide every day to be great at what you do. It doesn’t matter if your boss is a jerk or you’re a street sweeper, it’s your choice whether or not you’re great at what you do.
PS
“Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.” Proverbs 22:29 NLT
One More Thing
Listen to this song performed by Jimmy Buffet that’s all about being good at what you do. Then check out the interview I did with the guy who wrote the song, Mac McAnally. |