I went over to the house of my cousin near Christmas time and found him putting on the finishing touches of his Christmas tree. His tree was very well done, adorned with ornaments and lights, lots of sparkles, with a shiny star on top. I looked at my cousin, a burly young guy who works and play sports, and usually does not take on artistic adventures like the tree. I was impressed and told him so, and he replied, "If you are going to do something, you have to do it right, you know?" It was a simple statement, yet one that resonated with me from that day on. I've kept it in the back of my head, perhaps subconsciously passing judgement on everything I do to see if I have done it "right."
But when I say I apply this to everything, I mean everything. If I am doing homework, I should have the most correct and complete work. If I am going to eat, I better come back with a full stomach and satisfied smug afterwards. If I am going to play basketball, I should be sweating and focused.
It stands in my life as a sort of personal motto, and I find value in it for by applying to everything from food to relationships to homework assignments, I gain so much more out of each of my actions than if I had just done the minimum to pass. In establishing "doing it right" as my motto, it has served a lot of the time as my motivation to take on projects or get the extra grade or play another game, which often cause more stress but always provide a more enriching experience in the end. Is it difficult, to give extra attention or time in order to "do it right"? Yes, it can be. But the more time and effort you put into something, the more you will gain from it. I believe its worth it to gain that extra mile.
But as a blog that questions the motivation
behind actions I must ask, why do I hold this as my motto? I have described the incredible gains that are available as a result of doing things right. But I also keep this in high regard in light of the fragility of life. Over the past couple years, through my personal experience and through the experience of others, I have come to understand dearly how fragile life really is, and how quickly things can change. With no guarantees on our lives, I think it is worth it to try to gain all that I can from a situation, be it a gourmet meal or just some quality time with a friend. So moving forward, I will continue to maintain this mentality and keep up my motto. Doing it right hasn't steered me wrong yet and I hope it continues to enrich my life the way it has already.
