Best Kept Secrets: Trying Your Best Goes a Long Way

I'm the laziest person I know.

I grew up without good work ethic, discipline, or perseverance. I subconsciously believed my abilities and limitations were set in stone, so I couldn't do anything about it and didn't even think to try harder—a classic fixed mindset.

It wasn't until more recently that I realized trying my best would take me much further than I ever thought possible. As much as I want to kick myself for not knowing this sooner, I know it's better late than never. As the saying goes: The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is right now.

Trying your best will only benefit you.

Two of the more significant facets of life to exert your effort into are relationships and vocation. Relationships, because we as humans are social beings and we need community—this includes family, friends, and others we interact with meaningfully. Vocation, because greater effort will result in, among other things, greater performance and our performance will inform our compensation sooner or later.

Giving your best effort in your relationships means, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, giving a "portion of thyself." It's hard work, but it will greatly enrich your life and the lives of those around you. For me, that means putting my screens away, turning off "work mode" in my brain, and spending quality time with loved ones, being present and attentive, and sharing experiences, both mundane and exciting, with them.

Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

At work, rather than doing the bare minimum, put forth the energy to excel at what you've been hired to do. This level of care and attention to your work will produce valuable output for your boss.

In the past, once I completed my assigned tasks for the day, I made the mistake of using a lot of my down time taking breaks instead of trying to be be more productive.

The smarter thing to do is find other ways to be useful, whether to your own team or a different one. Give your best effort to learn a new skill or pick up additional responsibilities. Even if you don't get recognition for these efforts from your employer, you can still benefit by increasing your "odds of success" with every new skill you acquire, according to Scott Adams.

The future is thoroughly unpredictable when it comes to your profession and your personal life ten years out. The best way to increase your odds of success...is to systematically become good, but not amazing, at the types of skills that work well together and are highly useful for just about any job.

Scott Adams

Working hard offers a path to new skills, responsibilities, and opportunities. Chances are, your efforts will make you indispensable, so much so that it would hurt your employer to lose you.

Trying your best is permissionless.

It's worth mentioning the obvious here. Sometimes external forces may limit what you are allowed to do. And there will always be someone smarter or more talented than you. But don't focus on the things that are out of your control.

John Wooden, who many consider to be the greatest coach ever across all sports, said, "You have little say in how big or how strong or how smart or rich someone else may be. You do have, at least you should have, control of yourself and the effort you give toward bringing out your best in whatever you're doing."

Working hard and giving your best effort is fully under your control. It's not only available for those who are richer or smarter. It's freely available for you to fully take advantage of. You can use it to stand out amongst your colleagues.

Don't underestimate hard work. You can do it without permission, and it will take you places. Play the long game and watch the results of all your efforts compound over time. Yes, it's difficult but it's well worth it.

Cover photo by Desola Lanre-Ologun / Unsplash