What kind of outlook can one have on work?

Different people approach the subject of work differently. Some treat it purely obligatorily, as a necessary means of earning money, for some it even fits into life as strongly as prehistoric people hammered their stylus into clay tablets while carving the first paintings. Regardless of which approach fits us better, I would like to share with you my approach, which I learned from my Judo coach while growing up.

He often told us - his athletes: "Have peace of mind at work." At the time, I didn't quite understand what he really meant. It's not about "sluggishness" in performing one's duties, but about a structured approach to doing things, conscientiousness and a certain humility about the fact that sometimes it's crowded. Especially then, a structured, organized approach with a good work ethos works very well. I would like to tell you a short story that I think carries the moral of my coach's words.

Ethos or nothing

An old carpenter was ready to retire. He told his boss that he planned to leave the construction business and start enjoying family life with his wife, children and grandchildren. True, he wouldn't be paid for his work at the end of each week, but the pension he hoped for would be enough for him to lead a prosperous, peaceful life.

The boss was a little worried about his employee's decision, because the guy was a great professional. He asked him for one last favor, to build one more house. The carpenter agreed, but after a while it became obvious that he no longer had the heart for the job. He indulged in poor carpentry, poor finishing and used low-quality materials. It was a rather unfortunate way to end a wonderful career full of integrity and honesty

When the carpenter finished the job, the boss came to inspect the house. Once that was done, he handed the carpenter the keys to the front door with the words: "This is your house... my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!

What a shame! If only he had known that he was building his own house, he would have done things very differently

It's the same with us. We build our own careers and our own lives, every day. We often give less of ourselves than we can afford. After a while, we are shocked that we have to live in the house we built for ourselves. If only we could do it all over again, we would do it completely differently.

You are a carpenter, every day you drive a nail, lay a beam, erect another wall. Your attitude, your choices today, help build the house you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, build wisely! In an orderly manner and with consideration every day, do your job to the best of your ability. By doing so, you also build an image of yourself with other people and somehow...everything falls into place.