Who makes things better?

There are people who do work when asked.

And then there are people who actively seek — and act upon — opportunities to make things better.

Two traits of the second phenotype are particularly noteworthy:

1. They do not seek permission to make things better. They see it as a permissionless act — one that they can freely take upon themselves.
2. They take pride in their work and their service to others.

The more we see ourselves as the type of people who embody these traits, the better the work we do, and the happier we are with the results.