Bring It With You

Music & Medicine

Earlier this year I spent some time with my parents, helping out as my mother recovered from surgery. Their neighborhood pharmacy in Somers, NY is privately owned, the kind you might remember from your childhood, where the pharmacist actually knows your name. One day while stopping by to fill a prescription for my mother, the pharmacist and owner, Matt Golden, informed me it would be a few days before I could pick it up, as that particular medication needed to go through the referral process.

"Wait a minute," he said, as he reached over the counter. "Just so you don't go away empty-handed, here's something for your mother. Tell her I hope she feels better." It was a homemade CD that included a few choice selections from his music library.

Later that week when I returned, I told Matt how much the music had lifted my mother's spirits. As he handed me the prescription, there was another CD to bring home. Glancing at the pharmacy shelves, Matt explained, "This is what I do so I can support my passion." That passion is obviously music as anyone can hear upon entering his pharmacy. Rather than that irritatingly bland background music that makes you want to bolt and run your errands another day, Matt's customers are treated to thoughtfully assembled selections from his personal collection of music from the 30's, 40's and 50's. As customers walk through the aisles accompanied by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Tony Bennett, some have commented, "It's actually a pleasure to wait for a prescription."

Thus far, my parents have received seven CDs from Matt's private picks.

It Doesn't Have To Be Drastic

While sometimes big changes are needed to fulfill your life's passion, it's not always necessary to carve out an entirely new career path. You might choose to do the same thing you're doing now but in a new way or to make a subtle change that makes a huge difference. For some people, passion is directly related to the fields they choose. For others, passion exists alongside the career, each supporting the other.

Matt's example shows us that it's not just a matter of finding passion at work; it's also about bringing your passion with you to work. By sharing what brings him joy personally, Matt creates a better experience for his customers.

Let The Joy In

What would bring more joy to your work? During my corporate career and while in a role as a sales support director, I started the tradition of bringing an inspirational quote to weekly production meetings. It made me feel more positive about the week's looming deadlines and as it turns out, others came to rely on these quotes for some weekly inspiration. It's a small example, but these can be very telling in terms of what brings us joy and fulfillment. Sharing motivational insights was something I brought to work regardless of the job description simply because it made me happier to do so.

Bringing it with you means showing more of who you are and what you're passionate about.

This Week:

• How could showing more of yourself at work make a difference for you and others?
• What tells you that you've "put your own stamp" on something?
• What passion of yours would you like to share with more people? What's one small way you could you do that? How about a BIG way?

Don't leave yourself at home. Bring your passion with you to work.

Here's to you,