It doesn’t matter if it’s the context of a customer or a coworker or a partner.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a vendor or another organization (which, truly, is still a person on the inside).
The other person is going through their own challenges, mistakes, motivations and bosses expecting them to step up. They’ve got family pressure and other expectations of them outside their work. They, too, are balancing doing what needs to be done and working to move things forward, to improve, to leap.
Every other is working a life as complex and challenging as our own.
When we can take an extra step to help another out; it doesn’t just help them, it helps us, too.
But none as impactful as a streak of a positive attitude.
A positive attitude when things are going our way and when they’re not. A positive attitude when the work gets piled on. A positive attitude when others need you when you know they shouldn’t. A positive attitude when faced with adversity.
Fortunately there’s an endless opportunity to have a positive attitude. If you lose track, you can start again and quickly build your streak.
And the most beautiful part is that once the streak is long enough, momentum carries it from there.
It’s going to feel like a lot of work. You’re going to be scared. You’ll want to seek out reassurance and help.
The work worth doing is never easy at first.
Same goes for work that’s assigned to you.
Same goes for any work that’s new.
You’re going to trip up and fumble a bit. You’ll find all the kinks in the process. You’ll learn where you over-promised and where you under-delivered.
That’s the reality of firsts.
And the reality of seconds? Simple. Take what you learned first and apply to learn more.