Justin Davis, Campus Carrier Asst. Photojournalism Editor

I have always tried to live by the mantra, “Do things right, or don’t do them at all.” While I still hold tight to that, I realize that it has become a bit of a dated cliché and, more importantly, that it is not the best advice I can give someone. Doing it right simply is not enough.

Doing things fully and correctly is very important. If I tell someone I will do something for him or her, I am going to do it. Not only is it harmful to them if I flake out, it reflects badly on my character as well. But we know this. It has been drilled into our heads for quite some time now.

People generally do not stop to wonder if there is a better way to accomplish their current activity. They usually do not think about performing tasks better than the instructions call for, better than the other person trying to get the same job.

From a professional standpoint, employers notice when a potential employee does something better than the bare minimum. Even current employers will recognize workers who go above and beyond their job description, and the good ones will promote the employee accordingly.

It is just so easy to fall into the trap of doing exactly what is required and no more, be it a school assignment, a job or even a favor for a friend

Publix’s recent arrival in Rome gives us a great example of this. All we really expect a grocery store to do is keep their shelves stocked and ready for their customers. Publix employees, however, go the extra mile. They bag your groceries like no other, know the store back to front, are always willing to help and they will even push your cart full of groceries out to your car. There is no reason that Publix has to do this, but they have chosen as a company to go above and beyond what we consider the minimum and do what is better, and they are perhaps one of the most loved grocery stores because of it.

With that said, doing something better does not even have to mean more work. In fact, finding a better way of doing things may make the process more efficient. Once again, this will save you time and energy personally, and employers will see that you are saving them money too.

This is especially important for craftsmen and those in more creative fields, such as myself. As a photographer, I have been able to take technically “correct” photographs for some time, but I will never succeed in the field if I am not constantly striving to find new and better things to do with my camera. 

This is why the trend of newspapers dropping photojournalists in favor of sending out reporters with smartphones is so depressing. Reporters can take photos. Photojournalists can take better ones. Their sole job is to take better photos of the happenings of the world than any one else can. Good photos sometimes require thinking out of the box, but in the end it is always worth it. It is a simple concept, but one that makes a huge difference in any craft.

Sure, people get by in life by just doing the bare minimum, and most people probably do. But who wants to be one of those boring people? The people who make a difference in the world are the ones who actually want to be better so that they can make the world better. Do yourself a favor and take the time to improve your craft and your life in general. It will pay off in the long run. I promise.