Leave it better than you found it

Learned this trick from my parents when I was a kid (thanks mom and dad). Leave it better than you found it means making an extra effort to improve the condition of anything you encounter.

This might seem like common sense, but I have found that many people do not apply it effectively in their daily lives. They are content leaving things the same as they found them or maybe even a little worse. Getting by with the least amount of effort that will allow them to go unnoticed. Accepting the least amount of responsibility as possible.

It’s different than taking pride in what you do. It’s more like taking pride in the wake you leave behind as you move through the world.