For Those of you who are currently (or have been at some point) a parent of a teenager, you may relate to the experience I had this morning. Let me preface this story by saying that I am fortunate to have an easy going, respectful, and genuinely good-natured teen. However, I have to wonder sometimes why she chooses which activities/tasks will receive 100% of her effort.
This morning I came downstairs to discover last night’s dinner plates, etc. on the counter near the dishwasher. Her chore was to empty the dishwasher. After doing so, she neglected to take the dirty dishes and put them in the now- empty dishwasher. Other than using the excuse that she is a “teenager”, I don’t know why she avoided the obvious “next step”. Yet I do know, if it had been something she enjoyed, she would have gone above and beyond the “call of duty”. It begged the question, why do anything at a level less than 100%?
Dogs always seem to go all out ( and then some) with everything they do. 
They don’t just trot towards a thrown ball – they race with intention and excitement. They don’t just lightly paw at the earth to get something below – they dig enthusiastically. They don’t just welcome you home with a quick fly-by sniff of your clothing and a lame tail wag- they are exuberant, offering up full body wags, kisses, and power tail wags. They even put forth maximum effort to disguise themselves in “war paint”.If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing. Let me explain…
On a recent walk, in a safe area where the dogs run off-leash, Bolo managed to discover wild animal poop. Deep in conversation, Jon and I did not notice… until she ran past us. As we continued walking and talking, the stench took us over.
Bolo, a beautiful yellow lab, had smeared herself in animal feces, transforming into a light chocolate colored lab. She chose not to engage in the “standard rolling of shoulder/neck area” 
in the poop but instead chose to go “all out” and roll her ENTIRE body in this disgusting animal mess. I’ll spare you the details of driving home with her in the car, but suffice it to say, it took SEVERAL showers to get the mess and stench off of her.
My point is that Bolo and all the other dogs I have ever worked with, not only go after what they want, they go at it with 100% effort.
I find the statement, “How you do anything is often how you do everything” very impactful.
When we make a decision to do something, we can chose to make the experience/outcome “good” or we can make it extraordinary! Taking the time to provide that “extra touch” over- performing and over-delivering is what differentiates between average and amazing. Going beyond excellent makes your personal involvement in something more valuable, and the experience it creates for others simply unforgettable. We all want to be unforgettable, right?
If my daughter approached the kitchen chore in the same vain as Bolo approached rolling in animal poop , not only would the dishes have been in the dishwasher, the entire kitchen would have been immaculate. If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Overdoing!
Do you have a story showcasing how your extra attention towards something made an extraordinary impact? Please share with us!
