If you really want to learn from Ray Charles, consider the two songs he might be most famous for: “Georgia on My Mind” and “America the Beautiful.”

“Georgia on My Mind” was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell in 1930 and had been recorded by such legends as Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, but Charles’ version is the one that’s magical. When the state Legislature made it Georgia’s official song in 1979, the resolution specifically mentioned Charles’ rendition.

As for “America the Beautiful,” how many millions of us have sung that song? It has been sung so often that it’s pretty much ho-hum. Well, except for Ray Charles’ version.

Neither song was original when it landed in Charles’ hands. But he made them sound original.

Some bosses will say something like “there are no small jobs — only small workers.” Most often they’re being lazy because they’re uncreative bosses, but they’re right.

Think about waiters and waitresses. The basics of the job are pretty simple, but the difference between an ambitious worker and an ordinary one is huge.

Young, ambitious workers often have the most trouble with this. They’re used to being hotshots in college, then they end up handling tasks that they consider to be beneath them. The smart ones know that those tasks are tests — their first chance to make a good impression.

They don’t do what is expected. They find ways to do more, just as Charles did.

Those who aren’t so smart get stuck in the same job for years or even decades, just singing the blues.