Always Do More Than Expected!

The reason a lot of people don’t recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. – Thomas Edison, considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

In 1908 during an interview with steel baron Andrew Carnegie, reporter Napoleon Hill, was challenged to study the greatest minds of the time and develop a course that could be passed on to future generations. The culmination of 20 years of intense work was his hallmark book entitled Law of Success. Today he is certainly well known as the author of Think and Grow Rich, a much shorter and easier read that offers the message: what the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Capitalizing on this in modern times, the creators of “The Secret” simply titled this concept “The Law of Attraction.” Even though it’s well done, The Secret leaves you far from a ‘how to’ practical application or set of directions on how to really achieve your goals.

Short of going into the 17 principles discovered by Hill, I am always struck most by his concept of “doing more than is expected of you.” As I look back at the best moments in my life, they usually have roots in a moment where I was very clear about something that I really wanted, focused and did whatever it took to achieve. For example, in high school I learned how to cross country ski and pushed myself with two teammates to become the first in the history of the school to complete an annual 100 mile ski marathon in two days. To this day I draw on that experience! My worst performances are laden with an attitude of privilege. In other words, I expected something to come my way simply because I showed up to compete, or that because I was working hard, advancement should automatically come my way. How self centered this now seems to me. I actually mock my past as I look in the rearview mirror and see the shadows of underachievement. But there is a silver lining and it’s obvious to me in Hill’s statement. Just roll up your sleeves and put your nose to the grind stone. Set aside the notion that you are laboring to get the attention of your boss, your coach or whomever you feel the need to impress. Do it for you! Diligence and hard work will bring you an incredible sense of self satisfaction. I can remember my early days as a worker bee in the corporate world when I would work well beyond the hours that were expected and walk out of the building into the dark night just knowing I went well beyond the standard. I could not even comprehend co-workers that hung on the phrases: “That’s not my job” or “I’m not paid to do that.” Think about it for a minute…is that what human achievement is built upon? Do you think Henry Ford punched the clock at 5pm and went home to sit on the couch? How about Napoleon Hill himself, committing 20 years of his life to study the success of others to create a legacy for us all? He’ll even tell you in his book that he met many obstacles and would have loved to quit…but he did not…he did much more than expected.

I have repeated this theme many times because I know we are being lulled to sleep by this “magic pill” society that we live in. There seems to be an easy way to fix everything, your financial status, your love life, your kids! Well there is not! There is something to be said for the good old days when families got up early in the morning to do their chores BEFORE they went to school. Our new expectation, that we deserve anything and everything we want without toil, is poisoning us. Look at how kids are treated today versus 30 years ago…we are paranoid! No more discipline! Let’s not hurt anybody’s feelings and let anarchy rule. Just sit back and play the latest video game and the rest of the world will somehow miraculously deliver us the success we desire! Lunacy! Go look into Napoleon Hill’s work! Find out how true achievers really do what they do and why they have what they have. I’ll tell you that the majority of them where still working while the rest were home complaining about something or pointing an accusatory finger. But here’s the great news! We are all wired to be really, really good at something. Find out what that is and then sprinkle in a whole bunch of hard work and don’t go into it expecting any gold medals for performance! Trust me, nothing but good can come from a real, honest hard day’s work!!