I am sure most of you are familiar with Mike Rowe, host of the very popular show on Discovery Network, "Dirty Jobs." I have watched his show and many times thought to myself that there is absolutely no amount of money in the world that would get me to do certain jobs he covered.
Most of us, if not all of us, have thought the same thing at one time or another. We realize things have to get done, and we just don’t want to be the ones to do it. After reading his S.W.E.A.T Pledge, a small portion of which can be found below, it became clear to me the reason he chose to showcase those certain tasks. I also believe that my dad secretly helped write it.
Partial S.W.E.A.T. Pledge as follows:
"The S.W.E.A.T. Pledge” (Skill & Work Ethic Aren’t Taboo)
I do not “follow my passion.” I bring it with me. I believe that any job can be done with passion and enthusiasm.
I believe the best way to distinguish myself at work is to show up early, stay late, and cheerfully volunteer for
every crappy task there is.
I believe the most annoying sounds in the world are whining and complaining. I will never make them. If I am unhappy with my work, I will either find a new job or find a way to be happy.
I believe that all people are created equal. I also believe that all people make choices. Some choose to be lazy.
Some choose to sleep in. I choose to work my butt off.
Growing up, I learned that if you don’t work, you don’t eat. To put it in nicer terms, having a good, strong work ethic was not an option in our home. Whether you were washing dishes or mowing the lawn, you did it with a good attitude and to the very best of your ability. That was shown daily to myself and my brother by our parents and grandparents. To this day, my dad is still the first to the office and a lot of times the last to leave.
I can remember getting so upset with my dad after cutting the grass because I enjoyed doing it most of the time. Something about making perfect lines in the yard was fun to me. However, he had eyes that never missed a thing, especially when it came to that one blade of grass that I missed in the front yard.
It would be a Friday afternoon, and I would be ready to go spend the night with one of my friends, and he would take me out to show me what I missed and what I needed to fix before I left the house. Boy, my blood would boil.
As I have gotten older, those moments have become so valuable to me. The standard he set caused me to raise the standards I set for myself. I realized that having a good work ethic and doing it with the right attitude will move you further along in life than the best bought-and-paid-for education most times.
I see that lacking so much in our young adults today. It is almost as if they expect the very best from the beginning in all things with a lack of enthusiasm and a strong work ethic to follow. We have forgotten the days of starting from the bottom and earning your way to the top. We need to remember that! It doesn't matter what job you have, people will pay attention to the way you do it.
I haven’t taken the time to thank my dad enough for the good things he taught me, but I hope he sees that I was paying attention even though it didn’t seem like it at the time. I pray that whatever God calls you to do, you will show up to do it with enthusiasm and encourage others to do the same.
You never know who is watching and where it will lead you. Thank you, Dad!
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email ashley.carter@1819news.com.
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