In my books and presentations, I often share the positive impact my third-grade teacher, Mrs. James, had as well as my high school soccer coach, Mr. King. I get asked if I ever thanked them. I never found Mrs. James, so the answer is no for her. Years ago, when I was speaking in Easley, South Carolina, they asked me to share my Coach King story from my book Hardwiring Excellence. As I finished my talk, Coach King walked on the stage. I am grateful to my friends in Easley for making this happen.

I often think of teachers and the lives they touch. Teachers have had a great impact on my life. One way to measure a person’s legacy is to look at how many lives they touch. Teachers not only impact all the children who travel through their classrooms year after year, but also all the lives those students go on to touch by applying what they learned in school. The ripples on the pond go on and on.

Teachers and leaders have a lot in common. In fact, teachers ARE leaders, and leaders ARE teachers. Both leave a legacy of lives they’ve shaped. Both are long-game professions. In some ways, teachers and leaders are at a disadvantage over professionals in other industries.

In some jobs, the positive feedback is immediate. If you’re a mechanic who gets the car running again, you get thanked right away. If you unclog the sink or fix the dishwasher or get the power turned back on. Patients often say thank you to their caregiver. Instant feedback!

But in other professions—like teachers and leaders—you might not get that instant feedback. As mentioned earlier, you may not get feedback from a student or an employee for decades later… or at all. That’s where the notion of a calling comes in.

I wrote a book titled The Calling. It is aimed at a healthcare audience, but the truth is that many professions are callings. Teachers and leaders are just two examples. These jobs are very hard and stressful, and at times can feel thankless. It is that inner sense of calling—the knowledge that this is deeply meaningful work that changes lives—that keeps you going in the tough times.

So this is my shout-out to teachers and leaders who answer the calling. Sometimes it gets hard, and we lose our way. Here are some tips to help you replenish yourself and stay connected to your calling:

• Find a quiet room and spend a few minutes reflecting on why you got into this field in the first place. Think back to your first day on the job. Remember how excited you were? Recall how good it made you feel when you saw a student or employee making progress. It may help to journal about it.
• From time to time, you may get notes and letters from students, employees, customers, or (if you’re in healthcare) patients. Keep them. Read them when you’re feeling discouraged. They will remind you of the difference you make.
• Gratitude is replenishing. Put it front and center in your life. I am part of a “gratitude tribe.” It’s made up of four men who text each other daily with a list of three things we’re grateful for. (You can read about it here.) When you start your own gratitude practice, you will likely find that many items on your list come from your work.

Finally, I’d like to close with a suggestion for all readers: Send a thank-you note to a teacher you had, or to one your children currently have or once had. When I present to teachers, I ask them, “What is your first reaction when the principal says one of your students’ parents called?” The answer is, “Not so great.” Sadly, people tend to reach out more when they are not happy than when they are happy. Please make a teacher’s day and say thank you!

For more replenishment tips and tactics, please check out my book The Calling. I hope it is helpful to you in your journey.