Individual’s who have great success, get it because they have passion, a vision and take repeated action. They do what’s needed and a bit more.

“Achieving extraordinary results comes from what you do, after you’ve done all you were supposed to do, that was expected of you.”

The vast majority of people just do their jobs. They know what’s expected of them, and they do that. It’s a rarity for people to go the extra foot, let alone the extra mile. But if you watch people who excel, you’ll notice that they have energy for doing their job. They get a charge out of it, and have a clear picture of where they are going.

Do you do only what needs to be done? Or, do you think about how to take your work the extra step so you build exceptional value in others minds? When you do you rise above the crowd. You keep going and persevere even during hard times.

Surprise others. Let them see you do just a little more. It’s the little things. It’s being pleasant, optimistic even when it gets hard. It’s offering a word or two of encouragement when a person is struggling. It’s following up after a task to be sure it’s doing what the customer wanted. It’s being a model for proactiveness instead of living reactively.

Who would you rather be around? The person who grumbles and does the least possible on any work to be done, or the person who maintains a positive attitude and chooses to focus on the goal and how to follow-through once it’s done.

Success begins inside. Success is an attitude, just like quality is an attitude. They go hand in hand. Doing a quality job gives a sense of pride in accomplishment. It feels like success when the task is completed. But what if you don’t get immediately recognized or appreciated for the great job you did. You will still feel energized and have the sense of fulfillment that comes from a job well done.

There’s a saying that we are always on stage. People do notice us, even if we aren’t aware of it. Think about it. Is there someone you work with who gives you a lift when you encounter them? Even if you notice them from a distance, this positive feeling wells up from within when you think about the value they add to your experience.

We win, we achieve, we succeed, not because others tell us we did. We attain great things because we chose to do so. You choose you. You step up and direct your passion and vision in the direction that will assist you in accomplishing your goal. It is a choice.

Every day, be certain you are doing those things personally and professionally that bring quality into your world. Not only does it feel good in the doing, but the sense of achievement is restful and satisfying. Your passion, vision and persistence will create the life you desire. Stay focused and keep moving.

Just remember, all the great achievements you see around you resulted from someone doing that little bit more, after they had done what was expected of them. As Napoleon Hill said in Think and Grow Rich, “Keep on, keeping on!”