Lessons from Toni Morrison (and her father):
- Whatever the work is, do it well – not for the boss, but for yourself.
- You make the job; it doesn’t make you.
- Your real life is with us, your family.
- You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.
“…since that conversation with my father I have never considered the level of labor to be the measure of myself, and I have never placed the security of a job above the value of home.”
So much of our worth can be tied up in what we do, I certainly relate to this. When I read these words recently, I noticed I was touched by these four simple points.
When I assess myself based on this criteria, I fully embrace number one and have been my own boss for the majority of my adult (and some of my childhood) years. So much so, it’s a core value!
Relative to point number two, I think this is where the entrepreneur in me is wrapped up in a blend of numbers two and four. They tend to collapse into a blur of I am what I do because I did it.
Her words are wise. Number three is the real gift. I embrace this one fully at this point in my life, because when you lose family members and close friends, it is a painful way to drive the point home.
Sage words to live by. The level of labor is never the measure of who you are.
Categories: Sue's Daily Blog, Uncategorized
