One morning I was shaken from my deep sleep by the deep growling of the trash truck’s engine followed by the skidding sounds of my neighbor’s trash can coming to a screeching halt in their driveway. Realizing I did not push my overflowing trash can to the road; I valiantly sprung out of bed and barreled out of the door hoping it was not too late. I stood panicking as I waited for the curtain call of my garage door to open- I looked to my right to grab my trash can and to my confusion, it was no longer there. I panned to my left and there was the trash truck sitting idle- one of the workers smiled and said, “Don’t worry man, I got you!” Without waiting for my shocked response of thankfulness, he climbed back on the truck and drove off.

It’s a general understanding that you have to take full ownership if you forget the simple act of wheeling the can to the end of the driveway.  The young man didn’t have to stop the truck and grab my can, but he did it because he cared to. His job description outlines the expectations of a job satisfactorily done; what it doesn’t outline are the To’s.

There’s no question you clock in and work the 9 To 5 shift. I know you punch in and ride the 12 hour shift of 8 To 8. Your shift times are what you do physically, but the To’s are what can make a difference between the time you show up until the time you leave.  Do you put in a hard day’s work doing as you’re told or do you show up and work to make a difference?

The unsung sing the loudest; going outside of your job description and working within your heart is what makes the difference.  Cutting a key and bringing it to your customer; meeting another at the store to jump off a dead battery; washing their new car after the detail crew has gone home; sending a card to a customer during their bereavement. That’s the unsung heroes in my book.

To’s are what you do expecting no one to neither notice nor say thank you…you do it because you care to, not because you have to.