Before you get uber excited I’m not talking about the janitor from Scrubs. But don’t fret, my blog post ‘Why Scrubs is the Philosopical life coach we all need’ is only a few days away.
I’m talking about another janitor. One whose simple worldview is a significant reminder about the importance of playing your role. This guy gets it. He realises how paramount it is that you understand the bigger picture & the why behind what you do.
This little story seems too good to be true, so even if it is made up, I’m rolling with it.
Let’s paint the picture. It’s 1961, 8 years before NASA do the unthinkable and win the space race to put man on the moon.
The president at the time John F. Kennedy is being taken on a tour of the NASA facilities. Whilst meeting the staff and enjoying the facility, he stops by a janitor and introduces himself. He asks him what his job is?
To this the janitor replies
“I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
Imagine a world where everyone came to work with this kind of purpose.
Every time he swept a floor or cleaned a wall, he would have had the bigger purpose at play in the back of his mind. Every mop of the floor had meaning because he was contributing to something bigger than himself. 8 years out from the outcome he desired this mindset ruled his day. I can bet than more often than not he jumped out of bed in the morning, ready to contribute.
Have a think about how you approach your work?
Are you contributing to the bigger picture? What is your part to play? Are you playing small?
I hope it’s more meaningful than an hourly wage, or a stock 40 hour work week. You don’t have to be working at NASA to make a contribution that can last a lifetime. You have the capacity to make a difference, or you can be a non-contributer.
Be the change you want to see in the world. Or step aside and let someone else contribute.
Be the guy who gets it.
This story fires me up.
Lachie Wallace
Image via Christian Stangl