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Why do some people do the bare minimum (school/job) to get by while others give 110% and try their best?

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I'm lazy as lazy gets, procrastinate like crazy, yet I still have a 3.9 after 2 years in college... I've never had to do more than the bare minimum, so I don't see the point...
 
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
It's called principles. But the last couple of generations don't know what that is. You were hired to do "X", so do "X" well.
Basically, it's doing the right thing even when there's no one around to see it.
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I disagree. For some people it's true. For others, like myself, it's not. I _USED_ to give it my all. But the more I gave it, the more was taken. The parts of my job that I enjoy I now rarely do, and the parts I don't I end up having stacked on me because other people simply don't want to do it. Apparantly you can just say "no" to doing something that is part of your job around here. Provided you get paid enough.
 
Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
It's called principles. But the last couple of generations don't know what that is. You were hired to do "X", so do "X" well.
Basically, it's doing the right thing even when there's no one around to see it.
Click to expand...

I disagree. For some people it's true. For others, like myself, it's not. I _USED_ to give it my all. But the more I gave it, the more was taken. The parts of my job that I enjoy I now rarely do, and the parts I don't I end up having stacked on me because other people simply don't want to do it. Apparantly you can just say "no" to doing something that is part of your job around here. Provided you get paid enough.
Click to expand...

You are free to find a different job.
 
Seriously though, working your ass off for someone else doesn't really get you anywhere. It just makes you a good slave.

If you really wanted to get somewhere, you'd stop working for someone else and start working for yourself. Then that extra effort will pay off.
 
how is it possible to give 110%? Even if you're trying your hardest I doubt it's even 100% because there would be something else you could to do increase your effort.
 
<---- gave 92% effort in math... sufficient to know that giving 100% effort is impossible 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Mathlete
Because some people have an intrinsic need for knowledge and to live up to their potential while others have no problem with waisting the gifts that they have been given.

This question reminds me of two things
1. The story of the talents from the Bible
2. "There is nothing sadder in life then waisted talent" A Bronx Tale
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However, that has little relation to a class or job. I can put lots of effort into things that really matter, or put lots of effort into things other people think should matter to me.

I tried the latter. I almost gave it up after I got out of high school. I finally did give it up last year about this time. Not being able to read (I was pushing myself while suffering adrenal exhaustion) makes you think about things. It'll be Slack from now on.
 
Originally posted by: Cerb
Not being able to read (I was pushing myself while suffering adrenal exhaustion) makes you think about things. It'll be Slack from now on.
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For not being able to read, you write pretty well. 😉
 
Originally posted by: Forsythe
Originally posted by: JEDI
i say it's motivation, or lack thereof.

but what motivates them to do their best?

or if you have a different theory...
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I dunno. I never read a book regardnig homework in my life. But i still exelled in school. If jsut i didn't have to hand in papers it would be cool.
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are you sure you excelled? Look at that sentence.
 
Originally posted by: CRXican
Originally posted by: Forsythe
Originally posted by: JEDI
i say it's motivation, or lack thereof.

but what motivates them to do their best?

or if you have a different theory...
Click to expand...

I dunno. I never read a book regardnig homework in my life. But i still exelled in school. If jsut i didn't have to hand in papers it would be cool.
Click to expand...

are you sure you excelled? Look at that sentence.
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He's missing a P, not a C.
 
If I had to put a lot of effort into studying I would probably be in pretty bad shape. I just finished my Junior year of college and every time I think about the "for every one hour you're in class, you just study 2 hours outside of class" reccomendation I just smile.

It would be safe to say I didn't study for more than 2 hours straight in any given week, ever. Maybe if you count writing a paper then I was in one spot typing/writing for that long.

I have a great GPA and didn't ever do more than was necessary. I don't believe in doing extra credit.

 
It depends...if I like what I'm doing & the environment I'm doing it in, I have no problem working extra hard to do something.

However if every moment makes me cringe, then I will try to get it done as fast as I possibly can.
 
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Seriously though, working your ass off for someone else doesn't really get you anywhere. It just makes you a good slave.

If you really wanted to get somewhere, you'd stop working for someone else and start working for yourself. Then that extra effort will pay off.
Click to expand...

Shhhhhh!
 
Originally posted by: CRXican
If I had to put a lot of effort into studying I would probably be in pretty bad shape. I just finished my Junior year of college and every time I think about the "for every one hour you're in class, you just study 2 hours outside of class" reccomendation I just smile.

It would be safe to say I didn't study for more than 2 hours straight in any given week, ever. Maybe if you count writing a paper then I was in one spot typing/writing for that long.

I have a great GPA and didn't ever do more than was necessary. I don't believe in doing extra credit.
Click to expand...

I don't want to burst your bubble but no one studies for 2 hours for each 1 hour in class. So you are in no way exceptional 🙂

 
I call it "efficiency." My motivation is based on reward or perceived reward. In the academic environment I found that there was no benefit to being a straight-A student unless you had ivy league aspirations. The valedictorian of my high school class was one of those typical Paris Gellar types who would push her grandmother down the steps if she thought she could get a tenth of a point for it and increase her average from 98.8 to 98.9. She was always miserable because she "only" got a 92 on this exam or an "A" and not an "A+" on that project.
Meanwhile, I took it easy and skated by with mostly Bs and the occasional A or C.

We both went to the same state college on the same merit-based scholarship.

Forward to the work environment, there is a bit more reward for hard work, but I have found that giving 110% often means that 110% becomes the baseline and then when you give 100% you get accused of slacking off.
 
In regards to careers, I think that is what differentiates those who enjoy their job/find their job rewarding vs. those who chose a career path for all the wrong reasons.
 
I have an interested view on this exact topic.

For me, I do exactly as much as I need to do to complete the tasks and get an acceptable return. In other words, for a Math exam in college, I'd put in 8 hours of studying to get my desired "A", whereas for Humanties I'd put in 30 minutes of studying to get my A. However, I would not study just to "learn". No way, I'm gonna go chill w/ my homeboys. But I refuse to be slack and NOT study and take less than an A, as I do intend to excel.

At work, I do exactly what is necessary, and I help my co-workers as they help me at times.

For me, I think it's like this. I personally see myself as doing exactly enough to get a desired result, HOWEVER, for you looking in at me it may APPEAR that I'm giving 110% when I personally feel like I'm just doing enough. I think it's all about perspective.
 
Originally posted by: Triforceofcourage
Originally posted by: CRXican
If I had to put a lot of effort into studying I would probably be in pretty bad shape. I just finished my Junior year of college and every time I think about the "for every one hour you're in class, you just study 2 hours outside of class" reccomendation I just smile.

It would be safe to say I didn't study for more than 2 hours straight in any given week, ever. Maybe if you count writing a paper then I was in one spot typing/writing for that long.

I have a great GPA and didn't ever do more than was necessary. I don't believe in doing extra credit.
Click to expand...

I don't want to burst your bubble but no one studies for 2 hours for each 1 hour in class. So you are in no way exceptional 🙂
Click to expand...

Oh I'm sure that's true. My bubble is still in tact because most of their grades aren't as high as mine. If they wanted to match me, then they would have to put in that extra time where I do not.

/self inflation/bragging
 
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