If you’ve been fortunate enough to have been influenced by someone so much so that your work ethic and your desire to work & produce isn’t necessarily for a paycheck, but also for a purpose, then consider yourself wildly blessed.
Additionally, if you have this person’s or persons’ influence and encouragement in mind when you are working, then I’d say you are working not only with a level of gratitude, but also with a level of debtitude.
I consider “Debtitude” as a level of impact impressed upon you by someone else that has been so strong that you feel “indebted” to them to work hard, work honorably and work diligently — all the time. Working with a sense of debtitude honors those people’s impacts and influences in your life.
What a joy it is to have that kind of sustaining motivation.
Beyond my parents for whom I work with a strong sense of debtitude, there are others who I am indebted to for their care and time poured into me as well:
My high school track coach Tom Stuart saw in me what I didn’t and couldn’t see in myself at 18 years old.
My college dean, coincidentally named Bill Dean, was instrumental in my growth as a young college kid.
My first “real” boss Susan Peterson modeled a perfect blend of joy, sense of humor, gentleness and assertiveness in business.
My business mentor Rob Fields exhibited tenacity, a business acumen, business philosophy and a strong attention to detail.
Antonio Swad and Rex Heckelman for their tough love when it came to high standards and expectations in business.
There have been many who have impacted my life in many ways, and not all for good, frankly, and that’s okay. That’s part of the journey too. But, gratefully, others made enough of a profound impact in my life that my work ethic, drive and discipline are direct results of that influence.
I am forever grateful and blessed beyond measure. Now, my charge is to impart some of that knowledge and wisdom onto others.
A phrase that got spoken into me along the way says: “Duty without desire is drudgery and working without gratitude is worse.”
My straightforward takeaway from that saying is pretty simple: do all things with debtitude and gratitude.
