On Perfection

My mom used to tell me, "Anything worth doing is worth doing well."

I remembered that advice (sorry for all the other advice I've forgotten, Mom!) when I was painting my front porch for the 4th time with just a slightly different shade of "taupe" the other day, and trying to explain to my daughter why it was important to get it "just right."

As I listen to the voices of senior care providers, I hear the same sentiment echoed by each of you.

By Diane, who has 5 elderly people living in her home 24/7, caring for their every need.

By Dan, who owns several communities, and feels personally responsible not only for the lives of every resident, but also for the 100+ individuals his company employs.

You represent the best of who we are as a profession, and our personal dedication to doing the job we've set out to do, exactly right.

But on those days when things don't go right, do you, like me, tend to feel the stress of missing the mark?

When I feel my shoulders tense up, and my head start to clench into the sure signs of a headache, I remember some other advice I got early in my career.

Five years from now, will anyone remember this one failure? Does it really matter in the big scheme of things?

In reality, our striving for perfection in our work makes each little misstep seem that much worse.

Here's the advice I'm passing on to my eldest daughter, as she departs for college today. I hope she remembers it when she's striving for perfection in her own career some day:

Work because you love your job, not just for the paycheck.

Laugh often, and dance whenever you get the chance.

Enjoy good friends, and good wine.

Never give up. The world needs us, and we DO make a difference.