The Right Thing Is Not Always the Fun Thing
I always have to do things that I don’t want to do in life and work. Things that are not even close to being described as “fun.” More often than not, every time we have someone telling us to do something we want to rebel, especially if we know it is not fun.
Our response?
Screw you! Don’t tell me what to do!
Yet, conversely, the things that we don’t want to do are often the right things that we should do
.
What is the right thing to do? The right thing is always the right thing!
Yeah, thanks for the sage advice Fisher. Sheesh.
When we talk about the right thing, we talk about behaviors that allow us to be prosocial: actions that build relationships and to make good connections with our fellow humans or to be one with our environment. These behaviors allow us to make our work friends happier and more effective because we did the right thing.
- Can you think of one thing that is not fun but you know it is the right thing to do?
- What did you do yesterday that was not a fun thing, but it was the right thing to do?
Taking out the garbage. Not necessarily is not a fun thing! Certainly the right thing, otherwise it becomes a hoarding exercise, waste and refuse all around…
Okay, let’s play again.
Talking about garbage again. Is separating garbage between recycling and true refuse a fun thing?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to suck the fun out of life. The intent here is to create a different worldview. It forces us to think about the things that we do, the choices that we make and realize how they are the “right” ones to make. These “things” that can have either fun ramifications or the right ramifications. Maybe sometimes both.
Things we do are not always easy. Doing the right thing can sometimes be very hard, painful, challenging, or sucky (yeah, sucky). Especially if it is needed to be completed “the right way” and the right way is easily seen as really, really hard.
We are humans. We are messy. We try (and usually succeed) to find the path of least resistance and make it easier for us. We will find a shortcut which allows us to finish our task sooner (yet not always easier). However, that shortcut may be damaging. It may cause more work for us or for somebody else later down the road.
For instance, if you are required to purchase a new piece of equipment, you could certainly complete the actions based on gut decisions and ad hoc choices. However, the professional, the gal doing the “right thing” would document all the specifics, all the details about that piece of equipment. Who bought it, what they were buying, when they bought it, where was it to be used, why they were buying it, what was the true purpose for the acquisition, how is it supposed to be used, and those people/teams that are supposed to own it. All of that documentation is painful (read: the right thing). All that documentation is certainly the opposite of fun (trust me, I have been there and done that) but it was all the right stuff to do. It makes it easier for the next person (read as RIGHT and FUN for that person — it may be you) to inherit that piece of equipment or process. Maybe it needs to be duplicated, the process or solution is easier understood because the right thing was done previously. Because she was a professional.
I am the first one to admit that I would choose not to do the extra work. To not go that extra mile. To not create that document, or the next document or the one after that. That is all hard work and I am too lazy to do that! Yet, I know that it IS the right thing to do. It makes it better for my fellow employees. It makes it better for the company that I work for (or own). It helps build a legacy of professionalism. It sets the foundation for future success. It makes it more fun next time.
Doing the RIGHT thing, that is not always the fun thing, is what sets us apart from the masses. The sheep and the lemmings. These actions and activities indicate we are professionals.
Do the right thing even when it is not the fun thing.
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