My dad's father once said, "If you want to train a dog, you have to be smarter than the dog."
What seems so obvious may have a deeper lesson. Dogs are consistent when it comes to understanding the relationship between behavior and reward. I walk, my dogs run. I ring a small bell, and they come and sit at my feet. They don't get a dog treat until they're present and sitting. And of course, if they don't come when I ring the bell, they go without the treat. You can count on this every time. You can take it to the bank, as they say.
Almost 33 years ago, I went to work for a large company, a quasi-municipality. I was 21 years old. When I tell people I've worked for the same company since 1978, they normally comment on how unusual it is for someone to stay with one employer for so long, as if it's some kind of mysterious phenomenon. For me, it's really pretty simple. They (my employer) keep ringing the bell and I keep showing up for the treat.
When I go to work, I expect to find something to keep me occupied for the day, and I'm rarely disappointed. I don't go there to sit in meetings, talk about my personal life, or work on my own agenda, although occasionally those things happen too.
It's a pretty straightforward deal. I like to eat and to have shelter, and as long as I keep showing up with the willingness to accomplish my employer's agenda, they keep their end of the bargain and put money in my bank account every couple of weeks. Work is not always easy, and many times I'd much rather be doing something else.
But that's why they call it "work."
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