EFFORT: 
Being Willing to Work Hard

I want to do my best work without griping yet get credit for what I do.

 

Creating Effort

I am willing to work hard and I do. So much is demanded of me. What can I do to overcome discouragement to enable me to tackle new and different tasks? 

Effort gets things done. It has the added benefit of making us feel good. We feel satisfaction. That's the beauty of effort.  It's interesting that often in sports people expend enormous effort without having it feel like effort at all. They're working hard and usually without a lot of, if any, immediate reward. It doesn't seem to matter. It's effort that feels like pleasure.

The Power of Effort

When did we last hear someone tell us to "Work Hard?" Probably not much lately. Instead, the big message heard almost daily is this: "Take it easy. Don't work too hard." Then this is often followed by "Have a good day!" This might make us think, if we do take it easy, we will have a good day. Actually, the reverse is usually true. Working hard, gaining a sense of competence, is a major way to feel good and to have a good day. This is a key message we have to get across.

 Trying Harder

Thinking to Myself

· What effort did I make today?

__________________________________________________

· Did I do something I really didn't want to do, but that needed to be done?

__________________________________________________

· Did I make this effort eagerly and put my best foot forward?

__________________________________________________

· How did my efforts show?
 ____________________________________________

 

 

RESPONSIBILITY: 
Doing What's Right

I want to tackle my responsibilities with a sense of balance and ability to prioritize my work.

I try to know what's right and to do it. Today this is even more of a challenge. There is so much on my plate. I have so many obligations. How do I identify priorities so that I an able to do my work as well as I want to? 

Doing it right means trying to do right. It does not mean getting everything right all the time. In these times of special stress and overload, we look for ways to be more in charge of our responsibilities, rather than having them be in charge of us.

It Takes Practice

We all have experiences with responsibility. First, we learn how to take care of ourselves:  brushing our teeth, dressing ourselves. Then we have responsibilities in the family:  doing chores, caring about others. Then we go outside of our homes to school, to college, to jobs and to creating our own families.   

A growing number of adults today feel overwhelmed by the complexity, the sense of change and the speed of daily life.  

While there is no one way to always be on top of things, we can be more ready and more set to handle responsibilities when the time comes to go. That takes practice. That's what these exercises provide.

The Wonders of Praise 

· Think of an instance, recent or past, when you were praised or think that you should have been praised for your sense of responsibility.

· Think about how you praise others for actions that show their responsibility. Are you praising enough?