Who Sent You? The Enemy?

Many years ago I was helping out at a homeless shelter in Syracuse, New York. 

For whatever reason, I had a real tough time getting my bearings that morning. They told me to go right, I'd veer left. They asked for something at 7:30 they got it at 7:45. The whole day I was just one step behind. Looking back on that day there was undoubtedly a lack of focus on my part.

By afternoon, I'd managed to fumble another relatively simple task before my supervisor finally said, "Geez kid, who sent you? The enemy?" 

The two of us had a good laugh over it and it actually released a great deal of tension I'd been feeling throughout the morning. After his little quip, I was finally able to dig my heels in and do a better job for the rest of the day.

I was young and incredibly earnest. I was trying so hard to do a good job that I started to take my self far too seriously. The moment of levity freed me and reminded me that you can work hard, be focused, and still get a great deal done even if the work is infused with a sense of play and humor.

As filmmaker Clint Eastwood once said, "Take the work seriously, but not yourself."