I’ve been thinking about something lately. If I didn’t care about what I do every day at HORNE, would it make a difference? As I’ve been reflecting on my 30s, I’ve realized some of the gifts that only God could have given me. One of those gifts is my heart for service. This heart of service is a major reason why I care about my job and how I serve others. My personal philosophy is pretty basic: the greatest results are produced when you care about what you’re doing. But, my reason for caring stems from more than just my personal philosophy—it’s also powered by those around me.
You see, so much of what I do at the HORNE accounting firm every day is centered on those around me. Very rarely do I have days where I am stuck behind a computer screen. Working at HORNE, I quickly realized that this positive energy pulse is a real thing! I am fueled by others’ energy which creates this whirlwind of positive energy inside of me that I then share in return. Before I know it, there is a daily, living cycle of positive energy that is continuously strengthening my relationships with my coworkers. But why is that such a big deal? Because that positive energy pulse is what keeps my heart beating for this job! It keeps me coming back every day and feeling more excited than the day before. Now multiply that by HORNE’s 500+ team members—get the picture? Now let me also address that we all have our down days, but that same positive energy is what reminds us that tomorrow is a new day.
Whether I’m booking travel, reserving a conference room, ordering lunch, running reports or just shooting the breeze with a co-worker, I know that my actions are serving a purpose greater than the task at hand. If you know me well, you know that I love my job. But, it would be very naïve of me to assume that everyone feels the same way that I do about going to work, and as a homeowner with a mortgage, I know that money matters. However, it all goes back to making a choice to care about what you’re doing rather than staring at the clock until five just to get a paycheck. For me, the paycheck tends to take a backseat and the passenger seat becomes filled with personal and professional growth, amazing relationships with those who push me to #beEvenBetter and opportunities to make a difference.
My encouragement to you is that if you are not feeling positive energy, you may be guilty of not giving any. Deposit this saying into your memory bank: When you can’t see the light, be the light.
You don’t have to be in charge to love your job, you don’t have to make millions of dollars to love your job, you don’t even have to be good at your job to love it. But when you are positive and care about your job, that’s where the magic happens.
About the Author
Katie O’Brien serves the entire HORNE family with joy each day. She is the executive administrative assistant to Executive Partner Joey Havens and the resident encourager at HORNE. There is no job too little nor too big for her. Her heart of service makes others’ success her top priority. In the process, Katie is succeeding, too.