{"id":101,"date":"2023-06-11T09:39:33","date_gmt":"2023-06-11T09:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.latterly.org\/?p=101"},"modified":"2023-12-18T16:05:35","modified_gmt":"2023-12-18T16:05:35","slug":"makes-an-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.latterly.org\/makes-an-effort\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to Get Ahead? Be the One Who Makes an Effort"},"content":{"rendered":"

Early in my career, I was introduced to\u00a0inspireyourpeople.com<\/a>, and their concept called 212\u00b0 The Extra Degree. The concept they teach is simple: at 211\u00b0, water is hot. But at 212\u00b0, it\u2019s boiling. Just increasing the temperature of water\u00a0one degree<\/em>\u00a0makes the water so much more powerful. Boiling water creates steam, and with steam, you can power a train.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an interesting thought. After all, how much more effort is needed to get water from 211\u00b0 to 212\u00b0? Just one degree hotter. Almost nothing.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a simple metaphor to remind us that\u00a0small things can make an enormous difference<\/a>\u00a0in the end. You man be sitting at the metaphorical 211\u00b0, and you could make a huge difference in your life if you increase the heat a tiny amount.<\/p>\n

Success is the sum of a million small efforts. Sometimes these small things add up to something meaningful. Why not use this simple concept to motivate yourself to be the one who makes an effort in your job, in your relationships, or in your community?<\/p>\n

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Why is effort so important?<\/h2>\n

To answer that question, we can turn to the #1 New York Times best selling book by Angela Duckworth,\u00a0Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Angela argues that talent and intelligence matter less than grit, which she defines as the combination of passion and perseverance (aka hard work and resilience).<\/p>\n

Through many examples as well as years of research, Angela proves that despite our bias toward natural talent, it\u2019s our capacity for hard work, deliberate practice, perseverance, and deep passion that predicts our success in a given area.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs much as talent counts, effort counts twice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The good news is that you don\u2019t need special talents or gifts to reach a high level of performance in your area of passion. The person who tries a little bit harder or gives a little bit more can be the highest performer in the room.<\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s talk about small efforts<\/h2>\n

If you buy into these two main ideas \u2013 1. hard work, practice, and passion matter more than talent, and 2. even incredibly small consistent efforts make all the difference \u2013 you may be wondering how to go about implementing it.<\/p>\n

One trick I\u2019ve used to improve my performance for years now is this. Whenever I am turning in work, delivering a presentation, or crafting an email that matters, I ask myself, \u201dhow can I make this 1\u00b0 better?\u201d<\/p>\n

I want to be the one who consistently puts in that small additional effort and reaps the big rewards. And you know what? It works. I have less re-work because I think of the little things before anyone else sees my work. My reputation for high quality has helped me as well.<\/p>\n