Last day on the job

Today was my last day of employment with the company that I’ve been with for a little over three years (which seems to be a long time for my generation). I put in my resignation on March 10th after I accepted another position with a great company here in Austin. Since then, I’ve dutifully and happily done my job to the best of my ability and, when it was time to go to, I left. That’s really it. The departure was a little bittersweet on my part, and now it’s time to move on to new and exciting things.

My last job sort of fell into my lap. After losing my job at Wellness Works, I kicked around different career opportunities — I tried to help a really little startup dot com and quit when I quickly realized that I didn’t (nor did the company) have any kind of lucrative future. After professionally and politely, um, quitting, I called John as I was driving home. I called him to ask if he wanted to go get a beer because I’d just quit my job (I don’t think I’d ever just quit a job before without having anything else in the wings). Totally unexpected by me he said, “why don’t you come up to our office and see if you’d want to work here.” I had nothing better to do, so I did. And things just sort of fell into place after that. John ran the company and grew it tenfold. I made sure our clients were happy and were paying us. And there was a great team of folks who helped make it a great working environment. And we had a blast for a couple years. We all made a real run of it.

Time passed. People left. Actually, John left. Then people just started getting fired. I learned a lot during the hay days, and during the not-so-hay days, and I’m better for the entire experience. I’ve built strong, lasting relationships with peers, partners and customers alike. And I’ve reaffirmed some personal tenets:

• Add value – If you’re not constantly adding value, what are you adding? Nothing to help you, your customer, colleague or the company grow and succeed.
• Promote integrity – Be honest and sincere. Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
• Be of unbridled service at all times – Let go of your ego and help other people at all times, even if it seems to be of no direct benefit to you at the time. That goes for coworkers and clients. Every single customer that I call on, regardless of title, is my boss when I’m on the phone with him or answering his email.
• Practice acts of humility – Be humble and know that from everyone that you meet, you can learn something.
• Be happy – If you’re not having fun, what’s the point? Who wants to be miserable at work every day? If you’re not happy, your customers aren’t going to be happy. Unhappy customers don’t want to pay for your product or service. We were designed to be happy.
• Live like a dog – Put yesterday behind you and don’t fathom tomorrow. You’re right here, right now. Smile and wag your tail at everyone you meet. Well, you get the point.

I’m stoked about starting my new job. I have the next couple days off, so that’ll make for a nice, long weekend. I’m going to my new office tomorrow afternoon to meet my new team and to learn how to be of service to them.