Three Minute Leadership: “Did I earn my dollar today?”

To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning

A dear friend recently shared a story with me about what his father taught him about life and hard work. His father lived until the age of 97 – a beautiful life filled with family, happiness and hard work. He taught his son the importance of hard work and, in particular, the significance of continuously adding value in all that he did. Whether the achievement was big or small, it was always about that special additive something that made a unique contribution to the betterment and richness of his work effort.

There was a quote his father instilled in him, a question he would ask himself at the end of each day: “Did you earn your dollar today?” It was in this brief moment of reflection that he thought of the value he brought to his own life and work. The choice of the word “earn” put ownership and accountability in his hands. The simplicity of the dollar amount gave a quantifiable reward to the effort.

At the end of each of your days, may you, too, ask yourself: “Did I earn my dollar today?” With that question, may your mind  remember the words of John Ruskin: “The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.” With that question, may your heart remember the words of Albert Einstein: “Only a life lived for others is worth living.” 

Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!

Mike

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