Brian Johnson argues that doing your job well is a form of heroism. He cites Admiral McRaven's Hero Code on duty, framing it as a daily practice: show up, do focused work, then rest. Fulfilling your role serves others and counts as heroic action.
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic plus one. Do your job. That's what I currently have written in big bold letters on my big old whiteboard in my office. I think that phrase do your job might just be the simplest way to get clarity on how to show up as the best, most heroic version of ourselves. Playing your role well is a beautiful sentiment, but it's easy to get lost in endless navel gazing, questioning what role we're really meant to play. Do your duty is more concrete, but it still misses the mark by a little bit. But do your job. That's a pretty direct demand that, at least for me these days, cuts through the ambiguity and potential confusion. For example, as I typed and now filming this +1, I'm approaching it more like a blue collar carpenter or plumber who's showing up at the job site and trying to do my job to the best of my abilities than anything else. My job today, I'm the front right tire guy. Check out a couple plus ones. Distilling wisdom into its practical essence so I can give you the most powerful fuel I can to help you activate your soul force. I'm showing up at my job and putting in my chunk of deep work time blocks. And when I'm done, the office is closed. I enjoy my family as I recover. Then I come back and show up with my lunch pail ready for another great day at the construction site. Repeat for as long as I'm blessed to do it. Now, Admiral McRaven talks about this basic idea of doing your job to fulfill your duty, to play your role well is in the context of one of his virtues. In the Hero Code he tells us, and I quote, the idea of duty is a simple one. We all have a job to do in life. Whether that job is serving customers in a restaurant, taking care of your family, teaching our children, policing our cities, caring for the ill and infirm, protecting our gate, following the military code of conduct, or leading the country. We must do our job to the best of our ability. We must do our job well, not because it serves our interest, but because it serves the interests of others. We do not live in this world alone. Duty is a recognition that you have a responsibility to your fellow man and woman. It is an unselfish act, whether great or small, that contributes to the welfare of humanity. That is what makes it so very powerful. If you want to be a hero, it's easy. Just do your duty. We could say, just do your job. That's today's plus one. What's your job? Are you doing it to the absolute best of your ability? Seriously? Pause and consider that question for a moment longer. What's your job? And are you doing it to the absolute best of your ability? If not, why not? Let's step up and do our jobs as well as we can today.
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