On Sunday at the Phoenix airport, I was treated to an excellent shoeshine. I wear my dress shoes on travel day to avoid the baggage of an extra pair of shoes even though that would be the more comfortable option. More on that in this post about sensible footwear. 

I saw my favorite shoeshine guy as I walked up to the stand. I noticed the first thing he did before making eye contact was stare at my shoes. I’m sure that’s what he is trained to do. Eyes on the prize. 

Shoeshine boy is a more apt term because Leonardo just turned 18 and is graduating from high school this year. This young man has excellent people skills, and he is very good at his job. In fact, his shoeshines are much better than those of any other shoeshine guy (yes they are all guys for some reason.) Does this mean he is passionate about shoes? I asked him. He is actually passionate about airplanes and flying. After he graduates from high school, he plans to attend flight school to become a certified airline pilot. That’s definitely his passion.

Leonardo mentioned that now that he is 18, he was granted an interview to work at Starbucks, which happens to be twenty feet away from the shoeshine stand in the airport terminal. I have no doubt that he will be successful. How do I know this?

How you do anything is how you do everything.

The last time I quit a job was five years ago. I remember my manager remarking, “But you’re so good at what you do!” I strive to be great at what I do professionally regardless of whether it’s my passion or calling or “just a job.” I was burned out, but that did not stop me from giving it my best right up until the end. 

Whether you have a job or are an entrepreneur or an independent contractor, strive for excellence. You owe it to your clients, customers, and most importantly yourself. If you can’t muster the energy and focus to deliver the goods, maybe you are in the wrong seat on the bus or maybe you got on the wrong bus. Time to switch seats or get off the bus. Don’t wait for your badge to stop working or your customers to get fed up with you. You are the one in control.

It would have been great if Leondardo told me his passion was writing. I can guarantee you he would have been on #Teamstreak in no time.