The Importance Of Your Work
So there I lay, prone on the dentist’s chair, mouth wide open putting my full trust in a hygienist whom I barely knew—a hygienist who had sharp instruments and wasn’t afraid to use them.
This wasn’t a regular cleaning—there was trouble in my gums and she’d been called in to fix the problem. As I lay there, headphones pumping music into my ears to distract me from the task at hand, I began to think about what a gift this woman was giving me. Left unchecked, the gum disease could cause major problems not only to my mouth but to my overall health. I am so grateful that there are professionals like her who are not only willing but enthusiastic about setting things right. Heaven knows, it’s not a job that would appeal to me.
I thought about the schooling she’d had to learn her craft. I remembered her sharing with me that she regularly attends classes and conferences that keep her up-to-date on the latest technology and procedures. It shows because she used techniques on me that I’d not experienced before. Rather than a shot of Novocain, for example, we were able to get by with a topical anesthetic. I liked that!
I tell you about my hygienist to let you know that, no matter what your job is, it is important and has a great impact. Oftentimes your customers don’t give you positive acknowledgement but have you noticed how quickly they react when you DON’T do your job correctly? That’s because your work is important to them.
Many times employees will complain to me that their boss doesn’t bother to express any appreciation for their work. If I talk to them about the situation long enough, I notice one or both of the following situations:
1. The boss does acknowledge their contribution but the employee simply can’t hear it.
The Law of Attraction says you attract more of what you focus on. When you focus on the fact that no one appreciates the work you do, even when it happens, you can’t hear it. Why? Because you’re being “right” about how mistreated you are. If you actually heard the appreciation, then you would be wrong and human beings would rather be right than happy. What are you being right about?
2. The employee is self-deprecating, continually focusing on his/her own mistakes.
You cannot attract something you won’t give to yourself. If your focus is on how many times you mess up, you will automatically attract people into your life that agree with your low opinion of yourself. That includes your boss. No one can give to you what you won’t give to yourself!
When I told my hygienist Sue how much I appreciated the work she was doing to make sure my mouth was healthy, she accepted my thanks with graciousness. However, as she told me how much she enjoys her work, I could tell that she didn’t need to hear my words to know the worth of it. She had already done the necessary internal work to feel good about what she does even if no one tells her so.
That is the goal—to be your own best cheerleader. The more you are able to say to yourself, “I’m good at what I do and I’m getting better every day,” the more you will attract people who agree with that opinion. Haven’t you noticed that those who need praise the least are the ones who receive it? That is the Law of Attraction at work and you can leverage it starting your own fan club this very minute.
By the way, if you live in the Phoenix area, Sue works in the offices of Dr. Carol Ford. I highly recommend their work. http://www.Dr.CarolFord.com
