You are Your Own Brand - Do Quality Work or Don't Do it at All

In these days when the economy is bad and jobs are few and far between, I think it is always wise to remember the words taught to me by a great and extremely wealthy old friend;

"Remember, sometimes the jobs you reject are just as important as the jobs you accept."

These are wise words.

You are your own brand. You are the custodian of your work quality. Don't let that quality drop.

Whether you are working at a great enterprise, a new start-up, your magnum opus, or even at the counter of a fast food restaurant, always strive to do the best and highest quality work you can.

Never let a moment go to waste; strive for perfection.

As an aside, some might laugh and wonder how can one do perfection when working at a fast food restaurant? That's easy. Here's the words of Ray Kroc of McDonald's fame;

"If you have time to lean, you have time to clean."

Even at the slow times at the fast food counter, when others are standing around waiting, you should be using that time to set yourself apart from the rest: You should be cleaning. You should be looking for "what needs to be done" and do it before being told to do so. That's how to get promotions.

When it comes to your work quality, only you can decide what you can and cannot do. You are responsible for your results.

Before accepting any job, you must decide:

1) Will you make the effort? Will you dedicate to being the best?

2) Are your co-workers and the company good enough? (You know the old saying, "It's hard to soar with eagles when you work with turkeys.")

3) Are you being given the proper tools and budget to get the job done and get it done right?

These are critical questions. If you answered "No!" to any of the above, you shouldn't take that job.

If you can't be your best and cannot dedicate to that worthy goal, then remember,  "Sometimes the jobs you reject are just as important as the jobs you accept."

Never have your name associated with poor quality.