You cannot live at the standards set by other people. One of the worst things you can do is allow external factors to be the determinants for your limits. You need to set your own standards. You have to establish for yourself the minimal level that you will accept in life; DO NOT allow anyone else to set it for you.  If everyone in the world thinks that you are doing an amazing job, but you yourself know that you have another level that you could be performing at, then it’s simple — you are not doing enough.  You are not working hard enough.  It doesn’t matter what the outside world thinks. It doesn’t matter if you’re performing at a level higher than everyone else on the planet. If you aren’t performing at the level you know you can perform at then you are failing. It’s really that simple. 

Not putting in your best effort is FAILING. There is no way around it.  If you can work at a level ten, but CHOOSE to work at a level three, or a level five, or even a level nine, then you are failing.  We can’t all be at our best at all times, obviously, but sometimes it not about the production. It’s simply about the effort. If you aren’t putting in full effort, then there’s a problem. And it isn’t even a problem for anyone else — it’s fully possible that people may be accepting of, or even celebrate you, at non maximal levels, but that doesn’t matter. You are doing a disservice to YOURSELF when you don’t put in your best effort. It’s not about anyone else. It’s not about what will or will not happen if you aren’t at your best. Maybe nothing will happen. Maybe nothing will change externally. Perhaps it will all be the same outside looking in. But YOU will know that you could have done more, even if you couldn’t have done better. You could have done MORE. And you have to live with that fact. 

You don’t get better by working under your potential. You can’t expand if you aren’t working towards capacity. The way to improve is by doing the best you can at the level you’re at, with the skills you currently possess. Then when you take these skills and work at capacity, you’re able to develop more skills. You’re able to get better. You are able to work harder. And that’s the real key. 

Working hard makes it easier to work hard.  Working as hard as you can at level one makes it possible to get to level two. Working as hard as you can at level two makes level one easy.  You have to stretch the limits of your work ethic. You have to improve your work ethic contending and consistently, and it’s really a beautiful thing.  The harder you work, the harder you’re able to work. The harder you’re able to work, the more productive you’re able to become. The more productive you become, the more respected you can be, the more rewarded you will be, the better your life will be. Working hard makes living life easy. And those are just the secondary and tertiary benefits. 

Working hard is really a reward within itself.  There is a sense of pride in yourself that comes along with it. There’s a level of relaxation that accompanies it. There is no peace of mind that is as valuable as the peace of mind that comes from doing your absolute best. You will sleep like a baby if you put all of your effort into a day. There isn’t any room for self doubt in the mid of a man that is consistently putting in his best efforts. External judgments will fade from the mind of a man whom has given his all.