Keep Doing the Right Thing | #MyFridayStory №390
I’ve always believed in doing whatever I do with everything I’ve got. I might not have always succeeded at the highest level, but that was never the point. The point was that I tried — earnestly, passionately, and without holding back. I’ve never been one for half-hearted effort. If there is something I detest, it is a skiver.
Even when I was accepted into the army with two holes in my heart, I still gave it my all. I wanted to go on a lieutenant’s course, but I was classified G4K4 — the dreaded category dubbed by the healthy troops as the “sick, lame and lazy.” That label didn’t define me. I pushed on anyway.
From my earliest working days, I’ve approached every job the same way. The shoe shop I worked at after school and on weekends was to pay for my motorbike when I was 15 years old. The boss was grumpy and unpleasant, mistreating my friend and me from the moment we started. But I stuck it out. I sold shoes and smiled anyway. Because I needed that money — and because my character mattered more than her attitude.
It was during that time that I decided something important: I never want to work somewhere I’m not happy. And that doesn’t just mean free cappuccinos. It means the product or service we sell must be something I can proudly stand behind. It means the leadership must be honourable, ethical, and morally sound. And the culture needs to reflect the same expectations I have of myself.
I also learned early on that hard work doesn’t always get you recognition — but it’s still worth doing. Sometimes the extra hours, the extra effort, go unseen. But deep down, you know that without your contribution, the project might fall behind. And that’s not an option. You honour your work and deliver excellence because that’s what you’re being paid for — and because it’s the right thing to do.
One of the most significant examples of this came when I was headhunted for a sales role at a company where the Sales Director saw me as a threat from day one. I didn’t arrive to step on toes — I was brought in to build something new, to boost business, and to contribute. But he was wary. Maybe even a little hostile.
From the start, he challenged my projections, insisting they were unrealistic. He demanded a clause in my contract: if I didn’t meet my targets within six months, I’d forfeit a large portion of my salary. I agreed — on one condition. If I did hit the targets, I’d get a 2.5% commission on all future revenue. They agreed.
I worked relentlessly from the outset. The results started trickling in, and within eight months, I had not only reached the target but exceeded it. And although I was two months late, they kept their word — because, as they admitted, they never imagined I’d come close!
That Sales Director didn’t go quietly. For two years, he tried everything he could to trip me up. He was determined to find a flaw — some weakness to expose and prove that I was all talk, that I wasn’t who I said I was. But I just kept doing what I do. Quietly. Consistently. With integrity.
Eventually, after a string of successes, he came around. He gave me credit — publicly. In front of the whole company. From that moment on, we became the best of friends. And we still are.
Over the years, I’ve found that this pattern has repeated itself. In many jobs, there’s been someone who felt threatened by my work ethic and positive attitude. Some never warmed up. No matter how well I performed, they were convinced I was too good to be true — convinced that there had to be something about me they could point at accusingly.
It’s happened often enough that I’ve come to expect it when I step into new circles. It’s not paranoia — it’s just pattern recognition. It’s also something I’ve seen my Son experience throughout his 15-year working career. He shares the same values and carries himself the same way — and he’s faced the same kind of suspicion in several roles.
I’ve told him what I tell myself: Keep doing the right thing.
Because when your intentions are good and your work is excellent, no one can fault you forever. You may not always win the popularity contest. You may be misjudged, envied, or misunderstood. But you’ll sleep well at night. You’ll hold your head high. And eventually, truth has a way of rising to the surface.
So, keep doing the right thing. Even when it goes unnoticed. Even when it’s questioned. Even when it costs you something.
Because your integrity is worth more than any quick win, and character always, always pays off in the end.
Thanks for reading. 🙏
If the story resonated with you — if you have ever gone above and beyond and not been noticed or were overlooked — I’d love to hear how you managed it in the comments or messages.
Happy Mandela Day!
Until next week,
Have a wonderful weekend, and remember — be generous! 😊
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