Just do great work
The concept of work has different meaning to different people. But for a lot of people, doing great work is what in the end truly matters to them. The opportunity to show, on a regular basis, what you are capable of, and to make something that you can be proud of. While few of us have the luxury to always do work we can feel proud of, it is still something worth striving for in the work we do, every day.
The truth is that most of us are not in control over everything related to the work we do, which means that we won’t have a say in every detail as to how the work is done. We have to abide to timelines, no matter how unrealistic. We have to adhere to regulations and processes in place at our company, no matter how illogical or unhelpful. And in most cases, we have to actually do the work together with other people that won’t always match our ideas or expectations of what the work should result in.
There are countless examples of challenges we are presented with as we take on new projects in our work, limiting us from truly being effective and doing our best work. But I would also argue, that it is in these challenges, that we are presented with the opportunity to do truly great work in ways we normally wouldn’t. To find ways to flex the limitations that are put on us that benefit the results we produce and can force us to grow into roles we normally wouldn’t take on. Because as we know, we grow through the challenges we put ourselves through.
Really, the strength that you can find in seeing opportunity where others don’t, finding solutions to problems people feel are overwhelming and impossible to solve, is what will truly set you apart and allow you to do great work regardless of the circumstances you are put in. Be flexible and adaptable to the circumstances, while remaining rigid and focused on the goal. And you do that by being humble to the environment you are in, while remaining optimistic about the possibility of success in attaining your goal.
Really what it is, is as David Goggins would say “Roger that!”. You accept the circumstances for what they are, and you do the work anyway. You find ways to not only deliver, but to see opportunities to deliver what would be the best possible outcome, regardless of the challenges and the limitations that are put on you. It’s not about obsessing over success, over perfection. It’s about not accepting limitations or challenges as permanent boundaries for what is possible, and instead realizing that it’s about the long term, not the short term perspective. How can we get there eventually, by doing what is necessary here and now while moving in the right direction?
No matter the reason you might have for not doing great work, it will never be a good enough reason not to try, or not giving it your very best. No matter the circumstances, no matter the limitations or the setbacks you have, the choice is always yours how much you put into the work you do. You set your own limitation on the work you do, both inside and outside of the boundaries you are put within. That doesn’t mean it’s possible to do any better than you are already doing, but there is a huge difference between the guy who is willing to try, and the guy who never even thinks to try.
Because, the truth is, you won’t always be limited in the same way. In the situations where you are actually given the space to make decisions of your own and have an impact, you will need the comfort and the calm in a situation of uncertainty. Because that’s truthfully what freedom of choice is, it’s uncertainty in the form of multiple choices where you can’t be 100% sure of the outcome. You have to develop a peace within yourself for those uncertainties, through taking action and trying things out. And as you mess up, stumble and fail, you learn not only what didn’t work, but that messing up wasn’t so bad after all. At least not as bad as you thought it would be.
And through these experiences, you learn what you truly are capable of in the work you do. If you can navigate the uncertainty, through failing and making mistakes, and still make decisions and keep moving forward, you can do truly great work regardless of the challenges and the limitations you are put through.