I’m sorry.

I’m apologizing because I was that guy at the gym tonight. Yes, I was the guy on the treadmill on his cell phone holding a conversation that had nothing to do with working out. As many of you know, I serve on the Board of Trustees for a national foundation. At some point around 7pm tonight, I got on a phone call with the Executive Director of our foundation. Since my back was hurting me this morning when I woke up, I had to go to the gym after work – and since I had that phone call scheduled, that meant that I couldn’t go to the gym until after the call.

But do you ever get on those calls where you just have to stay on the line because the discussion is so good that you need to explore it a little bit further? Well, our Executive Director and I had what I thought was an excellent conversation tonight about a variety of issues (some of which were eye-opening to me). But as the call went on I began to worry about getting my workout in. So I drove to the gym and sat in my car for another hour or so on the phone (one of my roommates actually arrived at the gym after me and left before me while I was taking the call).

Then when it got to be 9pm, I knew I had to get a workout in before I was too tired to do it. So I was that guy on the treadmill on his cell phone, but it was for a good reason. And now I will think twice about those other people who are on their cell phones. On the other hand, though, I was on an important phone call and I kept my voice down. Most of those other people get on their phones and start to talk way too loud and in an obnoxious tone!

By the way, tonight marks 18 days in a row that I’ve been to the gym. Pretty good for a guy who isn’t even on a diet and is just working out for the fun of it.

Do you know someone who absolutely MUST have his or her cell phone on their person at all times? Do they get phone calls on the cell phone and then run into a corner to talk to whoever is on the other line about a gigantic secret (likely what to eat for dinner that night)? Think of who this person is in your life – the person who is constantly text messaging or reading their e-mail on their phone. Now think about whether or not that person could survive without their cell phone.

Probably not, huh? Come to think of it – could YOU survive without your cell phone? The New York Times ran an article today talking about how the writer of the article voluntarily gave up her cell phone! From the article:

The first inkling that I’d stepped over the line was when my husband called Verizon to cancel my account and the service representative reacted as if we were trying to pull a fast one. My husband’s account of the call:

Rep: “Is there a problem?”

“No,” my husband said.

Rep: “How can I change your mind?”

“She just doesn’t want her cellphone anymore,” he said, adding, “I feel like I’m talking to a counselor at a suicide prevention hot line.”

The rep laughed nervously, as if hearing a rumor of the Apocalypse. “She’s really just going to switch to an iPhone, right?”

The article is pretty interesting and it got me thinking about a few things like whether or not I need a cell phone at all and, if so, then what services I need on the phone. I guess I do need a cell phone at this point in my life, but I could probably pare down the service somewhat (which is already down at the lowest level, I think). Take a read of the article, I think you’ll enjoy it!

Is there anything more pathetic than a person who just “exists” in their job and does nothing to make their company or employer better at the end of the day than when they arrived in the morning? People should have a ferocious passion for what they do everyday. They should attack their job on a daily basis. Career workers should grab each day by its neck and make that day their own!

I believe that I think this way because I come from a family of hard workers. My Father was a dedicated and committed employee even up until a few months prior to when he passed away. He was a loyal employee during his active working years and he was a trusted hand during his retirement years. My Mother is the same way. She works for a local Township and because of her efforts since assuming her department’s management role, the department has become more efficient than it has been in years. She makes her department better each day than it was when she showed up in the morning. My brothers and I are on the same track. My older brother has worked his way to a front end manager (when needed) at his restaurant and he’s one of the Owner’s trusted confidants. Plus, he’s been working diligently at this various jobs for the last decade – even becoming the number one cell phone salesman for the now-defunct “The Wiz.” And my younger brother is so committed to working that the kid held TWO jobs while taking college courses last semester! In my family there is a ferocious commitment to working and making our employers better before we go home for the day.

For what it’s worth I see these types of passionate employees all around me. My roommates, my friends, most of my coworkers, etc. I know people who have to be at the office between 7am and 7:30am and who generally leave the office between 6:30pm and 7pm; and these people do this on a daily basis and excel in their positions because they attack their jobs and their various daily tasks. They make their employers better.

Sure, everyone has an off day here and there. And yes everyone “slacks” from time to time. But anyone can tell the difference between an employee who wants to make a difference and the employee who is there to collect a check. Think about the last time you called your cell phone company or cable company’s customer service hotline. How many of you encountered someone who thought outside of the box to solve your problem? How many of you got someone on the phone who didn’t need to transfer you because they were going to take the initiative to solve your problem in the best interests of every party involved? Very few of you, I’m sure.

In an economy like this it becomes blatantly apparent when you’re dealing with an employee who just wants to get his or her check at the end of the week. I recently asked a vendor that I’ve been working with to make a business inquiry to a third party on my behalf. Three days (and multiple opportunities to make the inquiry) later, my vendor not only had not asked the question on my behalf (which, remember, he is being paid to do), but he actually assumed what the third party’s answer would be! What the hell is this?! Without going into too much detail, the “assumed” answer from my vendor could have only been reached if he didn’t take a ferocious stance in favor of his client (me).

Talk about taking no pride in one’s work! This vendor is being paid by me to represent me to the third party! F’ing stand up and represent my best interests, damn it! This is a blatant example of someone who doesn’t have a ferocious commitment to their client. This is an example of someone who is concerned about making their quota for the week/month. This is an example of someone who wants to generate revenue at anyone’s expense – even his client’s! This is also an example of someone who has lost my future business.

The moral of the story is that you should be proud of your work. If you hate your job, then find a new one. It might take some time in this market, but start looking today. You should be passionate about what you do; at the very least you should know at the end of the day you’ve accomplished all that you can accomplish to the highest degree of excellence that you are capable. Attack your work. Be ferocious. Excel.