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

[astroview]

I used to put a lot of effort into my job. But what ended up happening is I would not do things exactly as my boss or others liked them, and it made me look bad.

So I find if I put in the bare minimum, I get paid the same and don't look bad. Guess which one I chose.

 

[KoolAidKid]

Originally posted by: SouthPaW1227
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.

How much effort you put out depends on your definition of 'desired result'. If your desired result is an A, then you can slack and still get what you want. On the other hand, if you attend college for some reason other than to get good grades, then you will be motivated to try harder.

Personally, I would rather have less ability and more motivation. Myself, most of my friends, and apparently a good chunk of the people on this forum fall into the intelligent but unmotivated camp. Hollow men with brains.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: NuclearNed
In my current job, days can go by without me hearing even a 'hello' from my boss. Even the friendliest of my coworkers is fairly antisocial. The only hint of praise I ever get comes during my yearly review. On the flip side, I hear about every little mistake that I make. After 5 years of this, I couldn't care less about how much effort I exert, because the outcome for me will always be the same.

i feel the same way about my current job

 

[zendari]

I get the same amount of pay at my job for doing essentially nothing, why work? Sure you can put in a lot more effort, but chances are without luck and other factors that isn't going to take you better places (higher salary, etc) so easily.

I'm happy making the salary I am today.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: Jzero
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.

that so true its not even funny.

 

[Lumathix]

Originally posted by: Anubis
because some people realize there is no benefit to doing anything more then exactly what is needed

Peter Gibbons: You see Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't... don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation? And here's another thing, I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Porter: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

Good movie. :thumbsup:

 

[Lumathix]

Originally posted by: Looney
Personally 110% is slacking imo. I think people should be giving 200, maybe even 300%. And for the really exceptional people, 500%.

I'm pretty sure the old "give it 110%" deal means try your best, and then give it 10% more.....

 

[cjgallen]

Originally posted by: Lumathix

Originally posted by: Anubis
because some people realize there is no benefit to doing anything more then exactly what is needed

Peter Gibbons: You see Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't... don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation? And here's another thing, I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Porter: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

Good movie. :thumbsup:

That movie was like the BIBLE where I worked

 

[Cerb]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

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.

For not being able to read, you write pretty well.

It lasted a couple weeks. Technically, I could read, and managed to pass my multi-choice Soc 101 final, but had to drop English 102, because once more than a sentence or in, I forgot what I was reading at the start, the and the words didn't come together as thoughts. Fine for regurgitation; bad for analysis and essay questions (and essay writing).

 

[yoda291]

Why I don't exert too much effort at work.

... because me busting my hump simply means the next time some fool breaks something, they end up calling me and bitching in my ear.
... because people don't understand that their lack of planning or organization doesn't constitute an emergency situation for me.
... because getting noticed gets more work piled on your plate so other people can continue to hide the fact that they have no flippin clue wtf they're doing.
... because inevitably, it's my manager who couldn't tell the difference between an ethernet jack and a walnut who will get credit for my blood and sweat.
... because I know they'd can me in a second for someone half as good at a quarter of the price.

So I commit mostly to making my work environment interesting and fun as opposed to contributing to some bottom line which will never affect me anyways. I'm trying to assemble a really small HTPC that will stream movies from a set of dvd-rom drives and turn a conference room into an instant movie theatre. need another 5.25 bay for the popcorn. cupholder is an old cdrom drive.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: yoda291
Why I don't exert too much effort at work.

... because me busting my hump simply means the next time some fool breaks something, they end up calling me and bitching in my ear.
... because people don't understand that their lack of planning or organization doesn't constitute an emergency situation for me.
... because getting noticed gets more work piled on your plate so other people can continue to hide the fact that they have no flippin clue wtf they're doing.
... because inevitably, it's my manager who couldn't tell the difference between an ethernet jack and a walnut who will get credit for my blood and sweat.
... because I know they'd can me in a second for someone half as good at a quarter of the price.

So I commit mostly to making my work environment interesting and fun as opposed to contributing to some bottom line which will never affect me anyways. I'm trying to assemble a really small HTPC that will stream movies from a set of dvd-rom drives and turn a conference room into an instant movie theatre. need another 5.25 bay for the popcorn. cupholder is an old cdrom drive.

wow man. find another job STAT. It doesn't have to be that way. You are your own destiny and only you have the power to change it.

 

[totalcommand]

Originally posted by: Kev
I hate to brag but for me, bare minimum = other people's 110%.

qft

 

[Doboji]

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.

At some point you have to stop focusing on doing X well, and focus enough on yourself to make you happy. If you're working so hard on x that you neglect you then eventually X will suffer as well. It's a balancing act... those who are most successful in life are those that find a balance between doing X well and maintaining you

-Max

 

[thomsbrain]

because some people are addicted to work.