Pablo Casals is a wonder: a joyful musician and a wise soul (see Marvelous You) — and here’s a story worth sharing about him: The famous cellist was to be interviewed in his studio by a young reporter. Pablo kept the reporter waiting past the scheduled time they’d agreed upon. During his wait, the reporter heard the lovely strains of the master’s music pouring through the French doors. Finally, the doors opened and Pablo breezed through them. He realized he’d kept the reporter waiting and apologized fervently.

“Oh, my young friend, I am so sorry to have kept you waiting. You see, I was practicing my cello all day, as I do every day, and I totally lost track of time. I forgot you were waiting.”

The reporter jumped up in surprise and said, “You are the world’s greatest cellist, and you tell me that you have been in your studio practicing your cello all day and that you do that every day? Whatever for?”

Our friend Pablo smiled at the reporter and, without missing a beat, he said, “Ah,my young friend, that is precisely why I practice my cello all day, every day… to remain the world’s greatest cellist.”

I love this story! There’s so much here for us to admire and apply to our own work. While we may not be in a position to devote all day every day to our own craft, we can bring Pablo’s sense of dedication to our work. We can realize that there’s always more to learn and ways we can improve and tackle them consistently and with gusto. And we can remember that attitude and effort are the keys to the kingdom. Write on!