When our son, Kyle, returned from his first deployment to Iraq I overheard a conversation with his dad. Kyle shared that it was interesting watching the soldiers take care of – or not take care of – their weapons in a combat zone. He explained that each soldier had been properly trained how to care for their weapons, but it was harder for some than others to do so because their training started later in their lives. My ‘momma heart’ listened as Kyle thanked his dad for teaching him to “always leave things like you found them or even better.”  I smiled knowing there was once a little boy who received instruction from his daddy about picking up toys, cleaning tools, and many more tasks that were not always met with such gratitude.

The character trait of diligence is defined as investing time and energy to complete each task and finish it well. Leaving things better than you found them reflects diligence. Disciplining yourself to be steadfast in doing things right when no one is looking is diligence. Daily attending to details so that your work is signed with excellence is diligence.

As school leaders, we are tasked with preparing students for a life after high school. Employers throughout the state of Oklahoma seek workers who are diligent and are workers of character. To that end, we must not apologize for asking students to work hard and to work with diligence – never quitting until the task is done well. We must create authentic opportunities in academics, extra-curricular activities, community service, and other venues so our students can experience the rewards of a diligent life. We can’t hinder students’ future success by withholding opportunities for young people to stretch, struggle, and earnestly display grit to accomplish great things. Much like Kyle, in their younger years students may not say “thank you” but in their content, productive adult lives they can reflect on their path and enjoy the reward of character.

On September 22, 2018, the social media world blew up when the Army Equipment Twitter account posted a photograph of their locker room after a tough 28-21 loss to OU. The photograph showed a meticulously cleaned locker room reflecting diligence and the high standards of the Army football program. While a proud Army mom who celebrated the integrity displayed, the leader in me wondered where we were as a society when simply doing the right thing received such intense notoriety.

Diligence often isn’t glamorous or the recipient of attention. In fact, diligence often takes place in the quiet, unnoticed work of an individual outside the sight of others. Diligence rarely is rewarded with a heralded Twitter post. However, a diligent life is laden with rich, satisfying moments that lead to contentment and fulfillment. May we all work hard to model a life of diligence so that the fruits of our labor may inspire others to do the same.

Originally published in the Owasso Reporter