Have you ever been confronted with a task where you intentionally held back your effort in an attempt to hide your true potential. Don’t worry, I get it. We have all done this at some stage in our lives and will continue to do so daily. It’s natural and there is a good reason we do this.

I would like to advise you against this behaviour. Let’s look at a few examples.

Firstly we start with over thinking. You play out doing the task in your mind so many times that you lose interest in delivering your best. This is detrimental and could lead to anxiety and poor performance in other aspects of your life. Try to avoid it as far as you possibly can. Think about how to do the task and the effort required, then just begin. If you get trapped in thinking too much then you unknowingly make the task far more complex than it needs to be.

Then comes reward vs effort. You feel that the compensation for your effort is not worth it. You then deliver poor quality work or work equivalent to the compensation. This would normally not be your best work. You can’t expect top product for bottom dollar, right? Unfortunately there are many business owners and companies out there that attempt this manoeuvre to get cheap labour. Before I go any further understand this. If you are an underperforming and maliciously negative employee then keep moving on, this is not for you.

Anyway, you will know when your best efforts are poorly rewarded. If you have delivered your best work for poor compensation then you may feel trapped. You set your standard of your work so high that you complete 2 to 3 people’s work. You also save your employer quite a bit of money. My friend, you are on the right track. Get some outside advice and keep doing you. There is light at the end of the tunnel and employers willing to fight for you.

Then for our friends in the service delivery industry and freelance folk. I know what it is like delivering your absolute best product only to have someone short pay you or expect even more than you originally agreed upon. (at the same price!) Delivering your best product remains a priority because your name means everything. It is an unfortunate truth that you will get burnt from time to time but the positive gain will always outweigh the loss. With your focus continuously being on delivering the best product, you will learn new skills and understand what the time wasters are. This helps you cut the unprofitable service offerings and define your craft even further. I get excited for you by only mentioning it.

This concept applies to many other industries and several daily social interactions we have. A truth that I want you to remember is that you are remembered for what you deliver. This expectation is further escalated by you making a statement of what you are capable of delivering.

Make a name for yourself as one of the best. From your words to your work. See your future change for the better. It is in your hands.

Delivering your best can set you apart from the rest.