Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees had a fierce pride about always doing his best. The Yankees were on the road for a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns. The day was boiling hot, and the Browns were also last place in the league. Despite this, DiMaggio made an off-hand comment that he was looking forward to playing that day.
"In this heat!" said an amazed sportswriter. "How can you enjoy playing a doubleheader in stifling weather like this?"
Glancing toward the grandstand, DiMaggio said, "Maybe somebody out there has never seen me play before."
DiMaggio was a prideful player. He was serious and genuine when he made those comments. Unfortunately, I know many people mistake pride for selfishness. When I looked up pride in a thesaurus, I was shocked at the suggestions - arrogance, conceit, smugness, self-importance, egotism, vanity, immodesty, superiority and on and on.
Maybe there isn't a good synonym. But pride, to me, is being self-confident, but not egotistical. Pride is having a positive, can-do attitude because you will settle for nothing less than your best.
I want people like Joe DiMaggio who are proud of the work they perform. Here are ways to build the pride that I look for:
Build your reputation. Whatever you do for a living, your signature is on it. You can't buy a reputation for doing good work; you must earn it. Reputation is one of the few assets that your competition cannot undersell or destroy. Would you buy a product or service from someone who didn't take pride in their work?
Play your role. Everyone has a specific job to do, no matter how small it might seem to you. Do it to the best of your ability. Be a good team player. The boat won't go if we all don't row.
Be confident, but not cocky. There's nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments, but you don't always have to tell the world. Keep your ego in check.
Stay positive. Don't let others bring you down, which is why I don't hang around negative people. Be friendly to everyone, including the people you dislike. As Michael Corleone said in "The Godfather," "Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer."
Build trust. Trust is central to doing business with anyone. When we trust people, we are optimistic not only that they are competent to do what we trust them to do, but also that they are committed to doing it.
Be knowledgeable. Learn as much as you can, and then keep on learning more. Knowledge is power.
Know that you don't know everything. The best remedy for conceit is to sit down and make a list of all the things you don't know but should.
Do good. Be a nice person and polite to everyone. Help people who need help. Try not to be judgmental.
Mackay's Moral: Pride is the stone over which many people stumble.
Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times best-seller "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." To send him a question or comment, go to
tulsaworld.com/mackayfeedback.
Original Print Headline: Pride can be a good quality
Column - Harvey MacKay
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