When we become too comfortable with the work that we do— esp now some of us literally work in pajamas!–we forget to uphold ourselves to certain standards. We just treat it like the daily grind, in and out, producing work that’s expected of us, and that’s it.
However, you might have heard that there has never been a better time to also invest in our growth, than all this “downtime” we’re getting now. So let me pitch something to you: go beyond what is asked of your job/ career/ business.
This means that, whatever was “your job” or “in your job description”,
1. Think beyond
You get an assignment. You know how to do it. You’ve been doing this forever. You go through your routine, and then you are confident you can do it in a few hours. Heck, maybe a few minutes, even! Do what you normally do, and then think beyond that. Look at the little details? Are they perfect? Do they exceed your boss’/ leader’s/ client’s expectations? Now think beyond what these expectations are. They say that growth always comes with the intention of “going beyond“. When someone asks you to do 10 push-ups, and you end up doing 11 or 12, that’s how you can increase your muscle mass. Just one last go, one last breath, one last push. Think of the same principle for how you treat work.
2. Benchmark for perfection
Surely in your line of work, you have “idols“. You have role models. People who are just doing it perfectly and seamlessly. Why don’t you learn about them more? Follow them on social media, look for mementos or biographies, get to know their story. The more you see an active model of what perfection seems like as a person in your career, the more you can be inspired that it is possible. And not just that, it is possible for you.
3. Future pace and visualize positive feedback
One of the reasons why a lot of people don’t give more than what is asked of them, is because they don’t ever get positive feedback. So ask yourself, what can you do to get positive feedback? First, you have to make it known. Tell your client/ boss what was asked, and what you did. You can also ask for advice how you could have done better. Most of all, visualize this! Don’t ever be too proud to ask from the universe what you need and deserve. Some of you might think this is cheesy, but it has worked for so many people.
4. Make it about you
Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean “make it about you” as in, it’s all about the credit you get. In fact, it’s kind of the opposite! Even if you did your best, even if you did more than what is asked of you, sometimes you just don’t get the “praise“, and you know what, that’s okay. What I meant was, make this about YOUR growth. YOUR standards. YOUR self-perception. YOUR sense of self-achievement. Always striving for perfection and going beyond what is expected of you is a strong source of pride and competence. So yeah, you don’t have to do it for other people, do it for you. Invest in yourself, and you’re sure to win in the end.
