Ordinary Vs Extraordinary

I make this point often to my team. If you are the ambitious kind, always remember one fundamental truth. Ordinary effort will always get you ordinary results. If your ambition demands that you seek extraordinary outcomes, commit yourself to the extraordinary effort.
 
Now, what does extraordinary effort mean, you might ask?
 
I have a simple heuristic for determining whether your effort is ordinary or extraordinary. The difference between the two is the pain and sacrifice you are willing to endure. The greater the pain and sacrifice, the more exceptional the effort.
 
Imagine you are very ambitious about your career and feel you need to grow faster.
 
Ordinary effort = Coming to work every day, doing your job, and getting the minimum expected results.
 
Extraordinary effort = Stepping up to do work that others are unwilling to put in(for example, working on a proposal through the weekend to delight a prospective client on a Monday morning), taking on stretch tasks that are not easy and demand commitment of discretionary time and effort, delighting your supervisor and team delivering standout results.
 
Each of these actions involves pain and challenge. The more you commit to this discomfort and sacrifice, the more likely you will achieve the extraordinary results you seek.
 
So, the next time your ambition tells you that you deserve more, remember- It’s not about what you deserve; it’s about what you’re willing to work for. Ask yourself how much pain and sacrifice you’re willing to endure to deserve the extraordinary.