Worthy Work Well Done

One of the most well-known and endearing figures of American history was our 26^th President, Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919).  Teddy Roosevelt was known more for his personality than for his presidency.  Having been a sickly child, Teddy (as he was known) fought hard and purposely to become a man of adventure and honor.  Home schooled, he had a great desire to learn.  He went on to Harvard and became a naturalist, author, horseman, military leader and the example of what was called “American masculinity”.

On September 8, 1902, Roosevelt gave a speech before the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  One thing that Roosevelt had great admiration and respect for was hard work and the people who did that hard work.  His address that day began with these words:

“Your work is hard.  Do you suppose I mention that because I pity you?  No; not a bit.  I don’t pity any man who does hard work worth doing.  I admire him.  I pity the creature who doesn’t work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being.  The law of worthy work well done is the law of successful American life.”

I love the words, “The law of worthy work well done”.  There is a great deal of “worthy work” being done in this nation and by men and women who are often either overlooked or looked down on.  These are those who have chosen their vocation in skilled labor.  I am not questioning the value of work outside of the labor force, if anything, I am making the pool of “worthy work” bigger.

Many people get the idea that to be successful you have to have a degree, wear business clothes and sit at a desk most of the day.  We fail to recognize that someone built that school, made the clothes and put your desk together.  If you think those task are easy, you do not know what you are talking about.  It is called skill labor for a reason.  Look around you and you will quickly realize that everything you use and depend on came from the hands of a creative and skillful laborer.

Success is not and has never been about money, power or position.  There are many who have those things and are utter failures in life.  Here is the good news, you can have them too and be a success.  Here is even better news, you can have money, power, and position along with skill, talent and purpose.  It is not the work that defines you, it is you that defines the work.  After all, what is more impressive, the great cathedral or those who built a great cathedral?

Success-minded people change their thinking from jobs that look successful to jobs that are successful.  A successful job can be in the area of skilled labor as much as in the corner office.  It is all about a worthy work well done.  Success means hard work, persistence and the belief that you can achieve anything.  As Mr. Roosevelt also said, “Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' Then get busy and find out how to do it.”

To discover how you can achieve the dream you have believed was impossible for too long, read On The Journey To Achievement by John Patrick Hickey.  You can get a signed copy for yourself and get one for a friend, by going to http://www.johnpatrickhickey.com/it-is-good-to-set-goals-better-to-achieve-then/.  Now available on Kindle, Oops! Did I Really Post That? Online Etiquette in the Digital Age by John Patrick Hickey.

© 2016 John Patrick Hickey. No part of this may be reprinted or published without permission of the author.