Youth ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION

CHARACTER TALK

Doing Little Things Well

1)   Ask your student if they can think of some small jobs or simple projects, whether at home or at school, that they can do. Here are some examples:

a)   Taking out the trash or cleaning the kitchen.

b)   Finishing all their homework.

c)   Doing chores like vaccuming or dusting around the house.

d)   Getting along with family members.

e)   Practicing penmanship.

f)    Keeping desks, notebooks, and backpack neat and put away.

g)   Keeping room neat.

2)  How can one do little things well? By doing them when they are asked to (or even without being asked), and by doing them with care. There are a variety of little things that can be done each day and finding them can be fun.
 
3)   Remind your student that the type of adult they will become depends to a great deal on how responsibly they preform these small things as a child. For example, a young person who learns to tell the truth regarding small things as a child, is more likely to be honest and trustworthy as an adult.
 
4)   The people who are courageous and do great things do the “everyday” things well. Consistency and discipline makes a person reliable. Getting a job started and then finishing it off well, requires a lot of courage. A person who says, “I don’t want to clean my room,” or “I’ll do it later,” lack’s courage and will probably never do anything significant in life. “The longest journey begins with the first step.”

 5)  The importance of doing little things well is apparent in the business world as well. Big jobs are usually nothing more than a lot of little things grouped together. If a person is dependable and does small projects well, they will likely be entrusted with larger ones and ultimately earn more money.