How you accomplish your work,
Says a lot about who you are.
As many other things can,
Life can be very bizarre.

Do you attack your work,
With confidence that goes for miles?
Or do you approach with fear,
Having trouble tackling the piles?

To have confidence in your work,
Means you are self assured.
You love everything about your job,
And feel very secure.

If you approach with fear,
You’re usually not so sure.
The work you do makes you uncomfortable,
And you definitely don’t feel secure.

It often makes me wonder,
How people work in jobs they hate.
Sometimes they have no choice,
And other times they sit and wait.

For those who have a choice,
To do the work they love.
Count yourselves very lucky,
And remember to thank above.

Does the grouch get richer quicker than the
friendly sort of man?
Can the grumbler labor better than the cheerful
fellow can?
Is the mean and churlish neighbor any cleverer
than the one
Who shouts a glad “good morning,” and then
smiling passes on?

Just stop and think about it. Have you ever
known or seen
A mean man who succeeded, just because he
was so mean?
When you find a grouch with honors and with
money in his pouch,
You can bet he didn’t win them just because
he was a grouch.

Oh, you’ll not be any poorer if you smile along
your way,
And your lot will not be harder for the kindly
things you say.
Don’t imagine you are wasting time for others
that you spend:
You can rise to wealth and glory and still pause
to be a friend.

If you cannot on the ocean
Sail among the swiftest fleet,
Rocking on the highest billows,
Laughing at the storms you meet;
You can stand among the sailors,
Anchored yet within the bay,
You can lend a hand to help them
As they launch their boats away.

If you are too weak to journey
Up the mountain steep and high,
You can stand within the valley.
While the multitudes go by;
You can chant in happy measure.
As they slowly pass along;
Though they may forget the singer
They will not forget the song.

If you cannot in the harvest
Garner up the richest sheaves
Many a grain, both ripe and golden,
Oft the careless reaper leaves;
Go and glean among the briars
Growing rank against the wall,
For it may be that their shadow
Hides the heaviest grain of all.

Do not, then, stand idly waiting,
For some greater work to do;
Fortune is a lazy goddess,
She will never come to you.
Go and toil in any vineyard,
Do not fear to do or dare,
If you want a field of labor.
You can find it anywhere.